Canada poised to end pre-arrival COVID-19 testing for travellers: sources – National | Globalnews.ca

Canada is expected to announce an end to pre-arrival COVID-19 testing for vaccinated travellers, two federal government sources told Global News.

The requirement will be dropped by the end of March, the sources said. The formal announcement to the change could come as soon as Thursday.

That comes amid a similar report from The Canadian Press, citing a federal official.

Currently, travellers entering Canada are required to present proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken within 24 hours of their flight or arrival at the country’s border.

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Some COVID-19 travel measures being eased at border

They also have the option to provide a PCR test taken within 72 hours of their flight or arrival.

The move comes as tourism and business groups have been calling on the federal government to remove COVID-19 testing requirements for fully vaccinated international travellers.

The measure is no longer necessary at this point in the pandemic, they say.

“Businesses are becoming more confident that we are past the need to rely on restrictive measures like lockdowns to manage the virus,” said Lindsay Broadhead, the senior vice-president of communications and public affairs at the Toronto Region Board of Trade, during a press conference last week.

“Travel and tourism are massive economic drivers in our province and many businesses in Toronto and across the country depend on international travellers, particularly business travellers,” Broadhead said.

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Easing of travel restrictions signals a new pandemic phase

Nancy Tudorache from the Global Business Travel Association agreed.

“The current travel measures in place are a barrier to travel. These measures simply do not permit flexibility or schedule changes,” Tudorache said.

“They add tremendous uncertainty, they hurt corporate productivity, create financial burdens for businesses looking to send their employees into Canada or returning back to Canada.”

— With files from Marc-Andre Cossette and Ryan Rocca

More to come…