Canadian Gov't to end pre-arrival Covid test to enter Canada April 1st

[CanuckTravlr]

Thank you, Denise!!

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

This is not the COVID forum - unless you want the thread moved to the COVID forum, the political BS needs to stop.

and you thought Canadians were nice polite folks - who didn't go for political BS.
LOL

[old joke ]- I went to a fight last night and a hockey game broke out ...
Rodney Dangerfield

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

........In the meantime, if everyone did their homework and followed the rules, it might help all of us when travelling internationally. If you don't think it's right or fair,then

complaining to your MP and MPP/MLA/MNA
is probably a more productive route, IMO.

My MP is the minister in charge of the Canadian Passport Office
I am not sure " a more productive route " is a concept my MP understands .
LOL

 

[jabberwocky]

My MP is the minister in charge of the Canadian Passport Office
I am not sure " a more productive route " is a concept my MP understands .
LOL

Funny - mine is minister in charge of tourism. Maybe we could get them together.

Actually, I generally like my MP. He's a nice guy - actually had dinner with him once.

 

[lily28]

we are going to calgary for banff in august? do i fill out the canada arrival app anytime before arrival or has to be done within certain period between arrival? for our party of 3, each to have the app on their own phone?

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

we are going to calgary for banff in august? do i fill out the canada arrival app anytime before arrival or has to be done within certain period between arrival? for our party of 3, each to have the app on their own phone?

I believe it has to be filled out within 72 hours of arrival.

The first time it took me about 30 minutes to fill out everything . Subsequent uses are much quicker because your just updating stuff like
arrival date - flight info - port of entry / border crossing

You can have multiple people travelling together on one submission , and who is listed can change.
We recently picked up our son & his partner at the Buffalo airport . All of us were on one submission when we crossed into Canada at the Peace Bridge.

You can also fill it out on a laptop or desk top computer. When you submit it - an automatic email is sent back to you with a QR code / reference number .
We have only done it via this route. I prefer not to have apps on my phone for privacy reasons.
[also I am currently using an I phone 4 which does not have an operating system compatible to the ArriveCan app]

Each time we have entered Canada since March the CBSA agent has scanned my passport and said they could see the submission information on their screen.
I have taken a screen shot of the QR code / ref number on my laptop and a photo on my cell phone as a back up.

 

[bizaro86]

we are going to calgary for banff in august? do i fill out the canada arrival app anytime before arrival or has to be done within certain period between arrival? for our party of 3, each to have the app on their own phone?

72 hours before arrival, 1 submission for your group.

 

[lily28]

thank you. if i do it via desktop instead of app, what internet address to use?

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

thank you. if i do it via desktop instead of app, what internet address to use?

This should work- I located it googling ArriveCan
ArriveCan

 

[lily28]

my covid test saga in canada
i did the arrive canada app 3 days before arrival 8/9 and got the qr code. no issue in calgary airport. as i was fully vaccinated and got 2 boosters, i was happy when i didn’t get any text or email regard need for random testing before leaving the calgary airport.

4 days later on 8/13 am, i got call on cell phone asking whether i did the covid test. i was never notify that i was randomly chosen to do the test. end up wasting 1.5 hour trying to call and search info regard how to proceed as i didn’t receive email to do test and have no idea what to do. after long hold on phone, finally got to talk to someone who told me to set up an account at switch health website and try to order a free covid test kit. then wait for another phone call for direction the next day.

The automatic phone call next day basically told me i need to take the test; i couldn’t ask anyone regard why no email notification and any issue doing the test 5 days into my trip instead of doing it in first 24 hour

so ordered the pcr kit online and picked it up at Canmore. then followed the instruction to get online test via camera. then scheduled expressed covid test pickup the next day. i was told i should have result in 2-5 days. got the email 2 days later after sample pickup to expect delay result due to high demand

i didn’t get the result before i left calgary 6 days after taking the test and 12 days after arrival in canada. i got the email that said damaged sample after my plane landed in the us. i ran thru a lot to have no result at the end

Banff, lake louise and Jasper np are great. Just wish i don’t have to deal with the border random testing which was stressful when it didn’t work out the way it suppose to be

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

my covid test saga in canada
i did the arrive canada app 3 days before arrival 8/9 and got the qr code. no issue in calgary airport. as i was fully vaccinated and got 2 boosters, i was happy when i didn’t get any text or email regard need for random testing before leaving the calgary airport.

4 days later on 8/13 am, i got call on cell phone asking whether i did the covid test. i was never notify that i was randomly chosen to do the test. end up wasting 1.5 hour trying to call and search info regard how to proceed as i didn’t receive email to do test and have no idea what to do. after long hold on phone, finally got to talk to someone who told me to set up an account at switch health website and try to order a free covid test kit. then wait for another phone call for direction the next day.

The automatic phone call next day basically told me i need to take the test; i couldn’t ask anyone regard why no email notification and any issue doing the test 5 days into my trip instead of doing it in first 24 hour

so ordered the pcr kit online and picked it up at Canmore. then followed the instruction to get online test via camera. then scheduled expressed covid test pickup the next day. i was told i should have result in 2-5 days. got the email 2 days later after sample pickup to expect delay result due to high demand

i didn’t get the result before i left calgary 6 days after taking the test and 12 days after arrival in canada. i got the email that said damaged sample after my plane landed in the us. i ran thru a lot to have no result at the end

Banff, lake louise and Jasper np are great. Just wish i don’t have to deal with the border random testing which was stressful when it didn’t work out the way it suppose to be

Thank you @lily28 for your post.
I am glad you enjoyed Banff - Lake Louise & Jasper

The rest of your post demonstrates the ongoing incompetence shown by PHAC - the Public Health Agency of Canada

It also shows why tourism to Canada is in decline and how the ArriveCan App is a primary cause.

 

[beejaybeeohio]

Banff, lake louise and Jasper np are great. Just wish i don’t have to deal with the border random testing which was stressful when it didn’t work out the way it suppose to be

Sure hope that sanfu doesn't happen to us next month! We arrive by car from Birch Bay WA, kindly chauffeured by my sis and BiL who will be dropping us at YVR and heading back over the border while we join friends for a road trip to Jasper, Banff and Lake Louise!

Please share any tips you have for "must-sees". For Jasper we have a private hike booked to Mt. Edith Cavell and a planetarium/telescope night watch. We have the Icefields adventure booked for our trip down the Parkway to Canmore, our base for Banff/Lake Louise.

Thanks!

 

[lily28]

i think it would be easier and more cost effective to do rapid test than pcr. worst part is not getting email notification regard random testing needed. i check my email inbox and junk box, text messages and even the arrive canada app but nothing
that automatic phone call 4 days into vacation really threw me off and caused lot of stress. i have nightmare that i would get into problem when leave canada for not doing the test within first 24 hour

i found a major issue i had this trip is can’t find parking s at many major sites. at jackson canyon, we had to waited > 30 min for a parking spot. i stayed at worldmark at canmore and left at 8 am to lake louise and got the last parking spot at upper parking place. no parking at all at lake morraine. if you going from jasper to canmore, then go to lake louise in late afternoon as parking might be easier then. another option is to park at designated area at lake louise and take their bus to lake louise but need to prebook the parking and bus transfer. you then can book use the bus connecting lake louise to lake morraine

we didn’t go to mount edith but went to pyramid island, medicine lake, Maligne Canyon and maligne lake. i think the highlight is icy field pathway. we didn’t do tours but stopped at major sites include the 2 waterfalls, petco lake, bow lake, glaciers across from the columbia center, and mistaya canyon

 

[easyrider]

I posted this covid info in the covid forum. It looks to me all restrictions drop and Oct 1 marks Canadian covid freedom day. For us in Washington State it will be Nov 1.

Bill

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1574389052354215936