That's technically correct. However, like the currently suspended random tests at airports, it may simply not be practical or possible to restore.
Canadian border crossing requirements, procedures and experiences on Amtrak
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Random arrival testing is suspended at airports and should return later this month. Entry of quarantine location is noted as gone effective April 25th with no mention of return on official websites. The suspension of arrival testing at airports is noted as temporary on those same websites
Any of the measures in the whole regimen that are not currently in force, from pre-arrival testing to closing the border to non-essential travel, are technically only suspended. Allowing in vaccinated travelers at all without quarantine has officially been an "exemption" to a quarantine requirement for everybody. Any of the measures could be reimposed.
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I just logged onto my ArriveCan account here’s what it said:
Quarantine requirements
I’ll
The CANADIAN PORT OF (MY) ENTRY was very helpful with my ArriveCan questions
Quarantine requirements
- A suitable quarantine plan is required for 14 days starting on the day of entry to Canada for all travellers except:
- Those who qualify as fully-vaccinated with Government of Canada accepted vaccines
- Those who are medically exempt from COVID-19 vaccinations
- Minors aged 0-11 who are accompanied by a fully-vaccinated adult
- A suitable quarantine plan is required for 14 days starting on the day of entry to Canada for all travellers except:
I’ll
The CANADIAN PORT OF (MY) ENTRY was very helpful with my ArriveCan questions
I had to go to Montreal last week and crossed the border by car - the agent already had my ArriveCAN info before I got to the booth.
I have to assume they were able to read my US Passport chip and then the info came up. Easiest crossing ever.
I have to assume they were able to read my US Passport chip and then the info came up. Easiest crossing ever.
The "except" is pretty much all non-Canadians that can be admitted for non essential travel.
Short version: Quarantine plans are no longer required for anyone eligible for entry for non-essential travel.
If you are eligible to enter Canada as a tourist, basically if you are vaxxed, you no longer have to have a quarantine plan.
It is associated in the CBSA systems with whatever ID you used for your ArriveCAN application, be it a passport, NEXUS card, passport card, EDL, etc.
I have crossed 3 times since the border reopened and the inspecting CBSA officer has always had my ArriveCAN data without my having to show my ArriveCAN receipt.
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So what happens if you get tested at the border and you come up positive?
You still have to quarantine. The difference now is you no longer have to have a "plan" submitted in advance.
The random arrival test at land borders is a self test kit that you have make telehealth appointment for to monitor administration. It has to be done within 24 hours. Then it has to either be overnighted or turned into an accepting location (I understand Shoppers Drug Marts accept it and they're all over) to get sent to the lab.
That is why I reccomend still getting tested just before you go, so if you are positive, you can just stay home and not get caught in the gears.
I really hate the random arrivals testing, btw. It introduces so much uncertainty. If they were going to drop something, I would have much preferred they dropped that and kept the pre-arrival test requirement.
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OK, I think I get it now. Basically, if you are selected for a random arrival test, you have about 48-72 hours before you get the results and realize you have to quarantine. Meanwhile, you've been knocking about in Canada for that period, presumably infecting Canadians and other people who happen to be knocking about in Canada in your immediate vicinity. (This assumes you are infected. If you aren't, I guess it makes no difference.) If your visit to Canada is less than 24 hours and you leave the country in that period, I guess you can blow off the need for testing altogether, though I wonder if CBSA or the Canadian Health Department, or whoever would want to know what happened to their test kit. If you don't send in a test, would that put you on a list that might make it harder for you to enter Canada the next time? If your visit to Canada is 24-72 hours, you will need to take the test and submit the sample to the Health Department, and by the time they get back to you, if you're infected, I guess you can tell them that you're quarantining by leaving Canada. In fact, you will probably be gone from Canada when you get the test results. At that point, the best thing to do would be to quarantine in your home country, but I'll bet there's a large proportion of people who blow that off, too. One reason why it's probably a good idea to continue to wear masks in crowded places and on board trains and planes.
I'm not exactly sure what the benefit of this random arrival test is to the Canadian public unless they hold people at the border until the test results are back. Or else they could just use the instant antigen test as the random arrival test. You're right, if they were so worried about this, it might be better to keep the pre-arrival test requirement.
Yeah, I don't think the random testing is doing much good either.
To stay in good standing with CBSA, I'd go ahead and take the test, and if it came back positive, notify them i was already out of the country (if you actually are, US and Canada share records and your US entry will be logged as your Canada exit with CBSA, so they know). I know I'd do that, I have a NEXUS card to protect and they'll yank those at the drop of a hat.
To stay in good standing with CBSA, I'd go ahead and take the test, and if it came back positive, notify them i was already out of the country (if you actually are, US and Canada share records and your US entry will be logged as your Canada exit with CBSA, so they know). I know I'd do that, I have a NEXUS card to protect and they'll yank those at the drop of a hat.
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The random testing is something new to me. The ArriveCan app (use the government app and not the “one searched”) was simple: answer questions, provide pic of vax card and a pic of your passport, passcard, etc..
I had test kits with me but there wasn’t any talk about testing (6/12/22). Call the border a few days ahead - I found them accessible and helpful.
To clarify 72 hour submitting of ArriveCan - I ended up submitting 24 hours before crossing which was fine. If you try the app say 73 hours ahead it would let you on.
I had test kits with me but there wasn’t any talk about testing (6/12/22). Call the border a few days ahead - I found them accessible and helpful.
To clarify 72 hour submitting of ArriveCan - I ended up submitting 24 hours before crossing which was fine. If you try the app say 73 hours ahead it would let you on.
1. The random arrival testing requirement has been in place pretty much since the border opened. I knew they were doing it and it was a possibility in December 2021, the first time I went up after the border reopened. They provide the test at no charge if you are selected, they don't use your test. They did not mention it because you were not selected for it.
2. I recommend informally self testing just before you go so you can be reasonably sure you won't test positive if you are selected for random arrival testing. The inspecting CBSA officer won't ask to see it or care about it.
3. ArriveCAN must be completed within 72 hours of arriving at the inspection station for land crossings. If you do it early and get caught in a border lineup and arrive 73 hours after having completed it, you won't be admitted. If you are lucky and have cell service they might let you redo it on the spot. Doing it 24-48 hours in advance makes sense, I do it about two days out, just have it done before you present yourself at the border. It doesn't matter if it is a minute before or 71:59 before.
2. I recommend informally self testing just before you go so you can be reasonably sure you won't test positive if you are selected for random arrival testing. The inspecting CBSA officer won't ask to see it or care about it.
3. ArriveCAN must be completed within 72 hours of arriving at the inspection station for land crossings. If you do it early and get caught in a border lineup and arrive 73 hours after having completed it, you won't be admitted. If you are lucky and have cell service they might let you redo it on the spot. Doing it 24-48 hours in advance makes sense, I do it about two days out, just have it done before you present yourself at the border. It doesn't matter if it is a minute before or 71:59 before.
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Random testing returns at airports on Tuesday. From the government website:
The difference this time is the testing is done on your own time and expense, rather than on-the-spot. One is notified by email or text message within 15 minutes of clearing Customs. It will be interesting to see how this translates to land crossings and, by proxy, Amtrak. They say it will continue as is, however it would make sense to eventually adopt the off-site model. The quarantine period for fully-vaccinated will be 10 days, 14 days for unvaccinated, even if the province's quarantine period is shorter. (In Ontario it's 5 days, for example.) There is no mention of the oft-discussed quarantine plan.
The difference this time is the testing is done on your own time and expense, rather than on-the-spot. One is notified by email or text message within 15 minutes of clearing Customs. It will be interesting to see how this translates to land crossings and, by proxy, Amtrak. They say it will continue as is, however it would make sense to eventually adopt the off-site model. The quarantine period for fully-vaccinated will be 10 days, 14 days for unvaccinated, even if the province's quarantine period is shorter. (In Ontario it's 5 days, for example.) There is no mention of the oft-discussed quarantine plan.
Where do you get a PCR test that complies with Canada’s requirements for the “golden ticket” positive? I’m planning on crossing the border for a trip on the Canadian in a few weeks and might want to do that. Will be crossing using an airport shuttle from DTW (as that seems like the easiest non-car way across right now - can take Michigan Flyer from Ann Arbor to DTW and then that, and the Canadian shuttle even lists Michigan Flyer as an “airline” choice). Figure I may also do the rapid test day of, though I know PCRs are more sensitive. Didn’t do any of that on my June trip, though COVID cases were lower then and the shorter trip meant a positive would likely come towards the end (in any case I wasn’t selected…)
Any place that does PCR testing can do it. Canada requires the test result document has your name, the test type (there are a lot of different subtypes), the date the sample was collected, the date of the result, the name and address of lab, and the result. Note if you are going to see if you get a positive to exempt you from random arrival testing you must have the test administered at least 10 days in advance of travel.
Note that a positive antigen test is not accepted to exempt you from random arrival testing.
My county health department is providing free PCR tests at present. Otherwise google travel PCR testing. Note that costs can vary widely, from $150 to $400 in my area last January. Come to think of it, just Google PCR testing, you dont need to pay a premium for the rapid results for travel, since you are shooting for 10 days out, not within 72 hours.
Note that a positive antigen test is not accepted to exempt you from random arrival testing.
My county health department is providing free PCR tests at present. Otherwise google travel PCR testing. Note that costs can vary widely, from $150 to $400 in my area last January. Come to think of it, just Google PCR testing, you dont need to pay a premium for the rapid results for travel, since you are shooting for 10 days out, not within 72 hours.
Well, Amtrak just cannot seem to keep up with Canadian entry requirements.
Just now received an email from them for my trip on Saturday advising me I would need to complete ArriveCan, a requirement which was dropped on October 1.
Just now received an email from them for my trip on Saturday advising me I would need to complete ArriveCan, a requirement which was dropped on October 1.
ArriveCAN isn't even mentioned anymore in the requirements to travel by land into Canada. It is optional and recommended for travelers flying in to speed things up at the CBSA checkpoint.
Nonetheless, I am sure some Amtrak ticket holders will scurry over to that App and fill it out.
…which doesn’t hurt anyone…
They would find there’s nothing for them to fill out. Right now ArriveCAN only offers advance CBSA declaration, which is only offered at select airports.
I will still leave my ArriveCAN Bookmark around. You never know if they will get finicky again, or if one of the Omicron sub-variants makes a huge comeback this winter that the requirement returns.
I still have the app, not going to delete it any time soon.
While a lot people objected to it, I never had an issue with it and it was easy enough to use.
That random testing requirement was another thing entirely...
Exvalley
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I crossed the border yesterday. I can't imagine how the now-optional ArriveCan submission speeds things up. I was through the border in about 15 seconds - with no ArriveCan submission involved. So even if you can submit an entry, don't bother.
You're correct, it affects land crossings not at all now. ArriveCan now only has any impact at designated airports for declaring items in advance. That will save a bit of time at those airports, and only those airports, if you have anything to declare.
CBSA has reverted from enforcing health regulations to their primary purpose of hassling Canadians for leaving the country. 
