After two and half years, international events held in Canada will be simpler to execute and more well attended, after the federal government of Canada announced the removal of all Covid-19 entry restrictions as well as testing, quarantine, and isolation requirements for visitors to Canada, effective October 1.
In a September 26 news release, Canada’s Public Health Agency said that “the removal of border measures has been facilitated by a number of factors, including modeling that indicates Canada has largely passed the peak of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 wave, Canada’s high vaccination rates, its lower hospitalization and death rates, as well as the availability and use of vaccine boosters, rapid tests, and treatments for Covid-19.”
As a result, travelers from any nation may enter Canada as of October 1 without submitting health information through the ArriveCAN app or website, providing proof of vaccination, undergoing pre- or on-arrival testing, or carrying out Covid-related isolation.
In America—the largest source of business travelers to Canada (about 20 million trips in 2019)—the United States Travel Association lauded the decision. “Ottawa is taking the right step by lifting its vaccine and testing requirement to enter Canada, which will give its economy a substantial boost,” said Tori Emerson Barnes, USTA’s executive vice president of public affairs and policy.
In return, “Washington should follow suit by immediately suspending proof of vaccination for qualified visitors from Canada and other nations, given the wide access to effective Covid boosters and therapies,” added Emerson Barnes. “Canada is the top source of international travelers to the United States, and we should take every action to accelerate [inbound] recovery from that vital market.”
