In what may be a surprise move for a country which had among the most draconian covid restrictions in the world, Canada has announced that all entry restrictions relating to the covid panic have been dropped.
There is now no requirement for:
- Covid vaccination
- Pre-departure testing
- Testing on arrival
- Quarantine
- Contact tracing
The federal mask mandate on board aircraft and other forms of transport has also been lifted.
Provincial and municipal mask mandates have also been allowed to expire throughout most of the country.
Whilst this is good news in theory, it is important to remember, firstly that Canada has a long record of covid restrictions among the harshest in the western world, and secondly that the country has a long winter ahead.
Whilst it would be politically embarrassing to u-turn on the often prohibitive entry requirements, I would not be surprised to see localised mask mandates and potentially some restrictions on movement springing up again in some parts of the country during the winter.
However, I do think this news bodes well for the summer season next year.
Whilst I am not necessarily advising against travel to Canada at the moment, I would recommend looking at more stable alternatives, at least until the winter season is over, if you are concerned about mask mandates and localised restrictions returning, particularly if you are unvaccinated.
