Canadians and permanent residents who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 will be able to return to Canada from abroad without a mandatory quarantine as of July 5.
Border restrictions will begin to loosen that day, restrictions that have now been in place for 15 months.
The first stage will apply only to people eligible to travel to Canada, that includes citizens, permanent residents, and those registered under the Indian Act.
Those people must have two COVID-19 vaccine doses approved by Health Canada, provide a negative COVID-19 test three days before arriving in Canada, take a second test once they arrive in the country, and have their own quarantine plan ready if a test does come back positive.
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“Fully vaccinated travelers who are currently eligible to enter Canada, will no longer be subject to the federal requirement to quarantine, fully vaccinated travelers will also not be required to take a COVID-19 test on day eight, or stay at a government mandated hotel,” said Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu during a news conference Monday morning.
Proof of vaccination will be required to be exempt from restrictions, travelers are being asked to bring a paper or digital copy of their vaccination documents, and will then have to submit COVID-19-related information into the federal government’s ArriveCAN app before arriving in the country. Entering false information could result in a fine of up to $750,000, or six months in jail.
The move to ease restrictions is being made because Canada now has at least 75 percent of those eligible with at least one vaccine dose.
Around 20 percent of Canadians are fully vaccinated.
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(Files from GX94)