Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday that anyone arriving in Canada by country must show a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours from February 15 before gaining access to the country. Non-important travelers who enter Canada at a land border without a negative test can be fined up to 3,000 Canadian dollars ($ 2,362).
“You can not prevent someone standing at a land border crossing from entering Canada because they are technically already on Canadian soil when they speak to the customs officer,” Trudeau told a news conference in Ottawa on Tuesday.
“That’s why we can do in case of no test to apply a hefty fine, a fine and a claim, and to ensure prompt and complete follow-up to make sure they are tested, that they are properly “quarantined, that they do not endanger the safety of other Canadians by going home without a clear, negative test,” he said.
Only Canadian citizens, permanent residents and essential travelers are currently allowed within Canada, although there were exceptions on compassionate grounds.
Concerns about variants have led to travel restrictions
Canadian public health officials say that while new daily cases of Covid-19 continue to decline and hospitalizations have dropped by about 15% over the past week, new variants and a slow vaccination of the vaccine could mean a revival of the virus is still possible.
“I think we’re all worried about the advent of new variants and the impact it could have, even though we’re working hard to get everyone vaccinated as soon as possible. There are real questions about the effect this has variants on the distribution of Covid-19 and on the impact of the vaccines, ‘Trudeau said, adding that this is why Canada’s travel is further restricted.
Canada has only detected a few hundred cases of new Covid-19 variants, but public health officials say there is already evidence that the community has spread to at least three provinces.
Most of the provinces in Canada have gradually begun to lift Covid-19 restrictions in recent weeks, with many students returning to classes in person and the reopening of some non-essential businesses.
But public health officials remain concerned about the spread of Covid-19 variants and the rate of reopening.
“The risk is very real,” said Dr. Theresa Tam, head of public health officials in Canada, said.
“This is why we need to maintain the strictest vigilance in our public health measures and individual practices,” she said. “This will help prevent these variants from accelerating the epidemic and making it much more difficult to control.”