canada border

Canada is getting rid of its controversial mandatory quarantine for some travellers

The much-contested mandatory hotel quarantine that the Canadian government started imposing in February on all air passengers coming from international destinations will apparently be no more for certain travellers starting next month.

After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in a press conference on Tuesday that certain border restrictions would be easing for fully vaccinated Canadians, federal sources have now confirmed the news to outlets such as 680 News and CTV News.

It appears that citizens and permanent residents who have had both doses of the COVID-19 inoculation will be permitted to skip the hotel stay as they await the results of the compulsory COVID-19 test taken upon arrival — they can wait comfortably at home — and will also no longer be subject to the 14-day self-isolation period.

"I think we all understand that we want to get back to normal, we want to start travelling again, but ... easing of restrictions will be focused on Canadians who are fully vaccinated," Trudeau said Tuesday, adding that one dose of the vaccine, though very helpful, is "incomplete protection" against the virus.

The PM's move to change measures at the border comes shortly after his own COVID-19 advisory panel issued a report suggesting Ottawa completely do away with the hotel quarantine and to allow fully vaccinated travellers to bypass the pre-departure COVID-19 test, test required seven days after landing and the quarantine requirements altogether.

The hotel aspect in particular has proven to be a controversial mess, complete with impossible booking processes, vastly inflated prices, COVID-19 outbreaks, extended periods with little or no access to adequate food, reports of low security leading to sexual assaults, and more.

A formal announcement from Trudeau about the changes is expected later today.

Lead photo by

Charles Gao


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