When Will New Yorkers Be Able To Cross the Border Into Canada?

I was asked last week why I haven’t requested time off from work for my family's summer vacation yet and my sad answer was that I am holding off on planning anything until I know if and when my family will be able to cross the border into Canada to go to our cabin.

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Canadian Announces Border Closure Extension

While our world inside the borders of the United States is opening back up, the same can’t be said about travel to other countries. Canada, for instance, just announced they will not open the border for Americans to enter for another month, but in reality, each time the country is expected to open the border, they push back the date so it wouldn’t come as a surprise if when we get closer to the end of April, the Canadian government extends the closure again.

Will Travelers Have To Show a Negative COVID Test?

What will things look like when the border between Canada and the United States fully opens? Will proof of full vaccination be required? Will quarantine for travelers be required? At this point, there are no solid answers when it comes to people traveling for tourism and leisurely activities, only speculation and that speculation is pretty strong that if you want to drive across one of the border bridges from New York into Canada once allowed, there is an excellent chance you will have to do one or both.

Does Canada Require COVID 19 Test and Quarantine?

As a matter of fact, visitors to Canada who are currently allowed into the country and who are non-essential travelers must be able to show a negative Covid-19 test that was taken within the past 72 hours. If flying into Canada, visitors are required to "take a Covid-19 test before leaving the airport...You will also be provided with a COVID-19 At Home Specimen Collection Kit to use for your test on day 10 of your mandatory quarantine. Following the arrival test, you will need to go to your reserved hotel to await test results."

What Happens if Travelers Don’t Quarantine?

But wait, there's more. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has issued a mandate that anyone entering Canada is required to quarantine for 14 days. Those who violate the mandate face hefty fines and jail times.  Will the quarantine mandate restriction loosen if a person is able to show a negative COVID test? That remains to be seen, but then there's the question of what the United States will require citizens to show or do before being allowed re-entry into our home country.