Canada’s new travel restrictions at land borders come into effect

New rules went into effect this morning for travellers crossing from the U.S. into Canada at land border points.

With exceptions for essential travellers, people driving into the country must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken in the U.S. within 72 hours.

Or they must offer proof of a positive test result between 14 and 90 days before arrival, which is long enough for the illness to have passed, but not so long that immunity might have waned.

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As of Feb. 22, travellers arriving at land border points will also be required to take COVID-19 tests upon arrival.

1:02 Trudeau says hotel quarantine for travellers to begin Feb. 22

That is also the date that air travellers will be forced into a mandatory three-day hotel quarantine at their own expense and required to take multiple COVID-19 tests.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the measures are meant to help prevent new and more transmissible variants of COVID-19 from entering the country, adding nobody wants a third wave to start.