Ottawa nixing molecular COVID test requirement for Canadians taking short trips abroad: sources
CBC
Fully vaccinated Canadians taking short trips abroad will soon no longer need proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test to return home, according to sources.
Sources, who spoke on the condition they not be named because they aren't authorized to speak on the record, said the government is only dropping the test requirement for Canadians and permanent residents for trips under 72 hours.
Molecular tests, like the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, will still be required for trips longer than 72 hours.
The change is expected to come into effect at the end of the month as cross-border shopping picks up before the holidays.
The news was first reported by La Presse.
The federal government has been facing mounting pressure to drop the rule requiring travellers entering Canada to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their departing flight or planned arrival at the land border.
People have reported shelling out between $150 to $300 for a test depending on where they're travelling from. Another complaint is that it can also take up to 24 hours — sometimes longer — for travellers to get their results.
The U.S. government has taken a different approach.
Fully vaccinated air travellers entering that country must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test, but travellers can opt for a rapid antigen test — which costs as little as $20 and provides quick results.
The government is expected to make an official announcement on Friday.
On Tuesday, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos would only say an announcement is coming "soon."
This First Person column is the experience of Shannon Flaman, who lives in Red Deer, Alta. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
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