Despite Delta, Canada welcomes back fully vaxxed U.S. citizens, permanent residents

WASHINGTON — Canada is once again allowing U.S. citizens and permanent residents back into the country, provided they’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

After 17 long months, a ban on non-essential travel across the Canada-U.S. border was finally eased at midnight, although the Americans have yet to lift their own limits on Canadian travellers.

Eligible visitors must live in the U.S. and have allowed 14 days to pass since receiving a full course of a Health Canada-approved vaccine.

They are also required to show proof of a negative molecular test for COVID-19 that’s no more than 72 hours old and to use the ArriveCAN app or online web portal to upload their vaccination details.

Fully vaccinated travellers who have recovered from the disease and are otherwise eligible to enter Canada can show proof of a positive molecular test taken between 14 and 90 days prior to crossing the border.

Wait times at the Peace Arch border crossing were already around an hour by sunrise and climbed to more than two hours by 7:30 a.m., with eager Americans and dual citizens waiting to get in.

Yes, it’s now a 2 hour wait northbound into #Canada ????????. #PeaceArch #BlaineWA #SurreyBC @NEWS1130 @JACK969van @kissradiohits pic.twitter.com/rwjPs5H87o

— Ryan Lidemark ???? ????️ (@RyanLmark) August 9, 2021

The Canada Border Services Agency says it “continuously monitors” wait times and adjusts staffing levels during “peak travel periods.”

“The CBSA is taking required and appropriate measures and maximizing resources to continue to manage the border, including all new mandated health controls, in order to maintain operational flexibility and to respond to service demands as and when required,” reads a statement from the CBSA.

It says travellers should also plan for “additional processing time” when crossing the line due to COVID-19 precautions, noting travellers can check the CBSA’s website for estimated wait times at select crossings.

Denis Vinette, vice-president of the travellers branch of the Canada Border Services Agency, says the agency learned a lot when fully vaccinated Canadian citizens were allowed to return under similar conditions last month.

Vinette says about half had to be turned away during the first week because they hadn’t received one of the four vaccines approved by Health Canada, or had not waited the full 14 days after their last shot.

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Canada has approved four vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot, also known as Covishield, and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson option. All except AstraZeneca have been approved and widely deployed in the U.S.

Some Americans exempt

U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are not fully vaccinated, but who live in Point Roberts, Wash., Hyder, Ala., or Northwest Angle, Minn will be allowed to enter Canada, so long as they stay within their neighbouring Canadian communities.

Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce chair Brian Calder says his community is confused why after months of being told it wasn’t safe for them to cross the border without a vaccine, Canada is suddenly allowing unvaccinated residents in. The community’s vaccination rate is above 80 per cent.

Calder’s also seeking clarity on what people should expect when they try to cross in because he says he’s encountered border guards who outright refused him entry into Canada for medical appointments.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix says “everyone who enters Canada should be vaccinated.”

“People should be vaccinated to enter Canada and that should be the rule for everyone, regardless of which community they live in,” he told NEWS 1130.

As promised, here’s @adriandix’s emailed statement to me explaining how #BC’s Health Minister feels about #Ottawa relaxing border entry rules for some visitors from the #UnitedStates.#cdnpoli #bcpoli #uspoli @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/oDdFPa7mL3

— Marcella Bernardo (@MBernardoNews) August 8, 2021

The U.S., for its part, has been mum on when it might begin to ease its own restrictions on non-essential Canadian travellers at land crossings. Air, sea and rail travellers are exempt.

The White House did say last week that it is exploring whether to require discretionary visitors from outside the country to be fully vaccinated when the time comes to ease restrictions, although it remains unclear whether that discussion specifically includes Canadian travellers.

A labour dispute between the federal government and Canadian border agents was resolved promptly last week, easing fears of extensive delays. But Vinette says the screening process is still going to take time, which means travellers may have to wait a little longer to clear customs.

“We’re just asking folks to be patient.”

The federal government is currently planning to allow vaccinated visitors from outside the U.S. to return to Canada for non-essential reasons as of Sept. 7.