New PCR Test Exemption For Border Travel For Some B.C. Residents

The Canadian Border Services Agency announced that there will be special exemptions in place for some residents of B.C. on short trips across the U.S. border. As long as the trip is no more than 24 hours, eligible British Columbians will not be required to show proof of a negative PCR test.

The announcement comes just less than a week since Canada’s Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos, announced the reintroduction of Canada’s requirement for a negative PCR Covid test even for trips of less than 72 hours across the border to the United States.

The press release states that: “Given the ongoing situation in British Columbia, certain fully vaccinated B.C. residents will not have to take a pre-entry Covid-19 molecular test before coming back to Canada.”

To be eligible for the exemption residents must qualify in two ways:

• they must be residents of B.C. who have to travel to the U.S. by land to access or purchase goods or services, and
• they can only be absent from Canada for no more than 24 hours.

The exemption also applies to unvaccinated children under 12 years of age entering with one of their fully vaccinated parents, step-parents, guardians or tutors and a person with a contraindication to vaccination.

“Travellers should ensure they are only within the U.S. for the required period to access or purchase goods and services and return to Canada as soon as possible, without any unnecessary stops. Those who attend social visits, events or functions would therefore not be exempt from the pre-arrival testing requirement. Travellers should also continue to follow all local, provincial/territorial and public health guidance including masking in public, and maintaining social distancing.”

The decision to allow eligible residents of B.C. not to be required to get a negative PCR test is in response to the devastating floods that hit the province hard in mid-November. The floods washed out numerous highways and severely limited supply chains, making it difficult for residents to access necessities.

“The Government of Canada understands the significant damage and upheaval that has been caused by the flooding situation in B.C. Should a border services officer determine that the traveller entered the U.S. and does not meet the exemption requirements upon their return to Canada, travellers will be referred to Public Health Agency of Canada officials who will assess next steps and determine the appropriate public health measures the traveller must follow”.

“Those who cross the border to ensure that essential services and economic supply chains continue, including truck drivers, remain exempted from the pre-entry test, quarantine and in-Canada test, but must continue to submit their mandatory information in ArriveCAN before arriving in Canada.”

Aside from this specific exemption for some residents of B.C., all travellers must take a pre-entry Covid-19 molecular test before arriving in Canada, regardless of the duration of their trip. Furthermore, the press release notes that:

• Tests taken in-Canada will no longer be accepted. In other words, the pre-entry test must be performed in a country other than Canada within 72 hours of arrival at the land border or within 72 hours of a scheduled flight departure.
• Travellers must either have a negative pre-entry Covid-19 molecular test result taken no more than 72 hours before arriving in Canada or a previous positive test result taken between 14 and 180 days before departure to Canada.
• Antigen tests, often called “rapid tests” are not accepted.

All travellers must continue to submit their mandatory information in ArriveCAN. The Government of Canada continues to advise all Canadians to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada at this time. “Now is not the time to travel,” states the press release.