ArriveCAN, mask mandates among changes as Canada drops COVID-19 border rules - Global News

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Masks mandates on planes, trains to end Sept. 30: transport minister

The decision to let the current measures expire on Sept. 30 as planned was made last Thursday, a senior government source told Global News last week.

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At that time, the federal government was still deciding whether to maintain the requirement for passengers to wear face masks on trains and airplanes, the source told Global News.

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The removal of border measures has been facilitated by several factors, including modelling that shows Canada has largely passed the peak of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5-fuelled wave, Canada’s vaccination rates, lower hospitalization and death rates, as well as the availability and use of vaccine boosters rapid tests, and treatments for COVID-19, Ottawa said in a news release.

Read more: ArriveCAN-related ‘issue’ impacted U.S. crews at border during storm Fiona: Nova Scotia Power

Although the masking requirement is being lifted, all travellers are strongly recommended to wear masks during their journeys.

“The Government of Canada will maintain the ability to reestablish certain border measures, should they be required in the future to protect Canadians from the importation of new variants of concern or other emerging public health threats,” Duclos said.

Rules for cruise ships are also being lifted, and travellers will no longer be required to have pre-board tests, be vaccinated, or use ArriveCAN. A set of guidelines will remain to protect passengers and crew, which will align with the approach used in the United States.

Click to play video: 'What the lifting of COVID rules will mean for the winter travel season' What the lifting of COVID rules will mean for the winter travel season
What the lifting of COVID rules will mean for the winter travel season

“Individuals are reminded that they should not travel if they have symptoms of COVID-19. If travellers become sick while travelling, and are still sick when they arrive in Canada, they should inform a flight attendant, cruise staff or a border services officer upon arrival,” officials said in a news release.

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“They may then be referred to a quarantine officer who will decide whether the traveller needs further medical assessment as COVID-19 remains one of many communicable diseases listed in the Quarantine Act.”

As of Sept. 17, Canada has reported more than four million cases of COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, federal data shows. At 82 per cent of the entire population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

— with files from The Canadian Press

© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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