The Government of Canada has announced that it will be removing the vaccine requirement for all travellers and making the ArriveCan app optional, as of October 1, 2022.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) says that effective October 1, 2022, all travellers, regardless of citizenship, will no longer have to:

• submit public health information through the ArriveCAN app or website;
• provide proof of vaccination;
• undergo pre- or on-arrival testing;
• carry out COVID-19-related quarantine or isolation;
• monitor and report if they develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 upon arriving to Canada.

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Additionally, masks will no longer be mandatory on flights or trains within Canada.  PHAC says the removal of travel restrictions is due to Canada’s high vaccination rates, lower hospitalization and death rates, as well as the availability and use of vaccine boosters. The government still strongly recommends that travellers continue to wear masks and monitor their health closely.

“Thanks largely to Canadians who have rolled up their sleeves to get vaccinated, we have reached the point where we can safely lift the sanitary measures at the border” says Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos. “However, we expect COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses will continue to circulate over the cold months, so I encourage everyone to stay up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccination, including booster doses and exercise individual public health measures.

ArriveCan to become optional

The ArriveCan app will become optional for travellers arriving from abroad. Travellers will no longer need to upload their travel plans and proof of vaccination onto the app to show CBSA agents.

No requirements for domestic travel

This announcement was expected in response to the global outlook on the COVID-19 pandemic. Cases have been seeing a decline as more people become vaccinated and the virus moves towards being endemic, like the common cold, rather than a pandemic.

Canada has already suspended the vaccination requirements for domestic and outbound travel as of last June. At the time, government officials said the suspension of those vaccine mandates was a reflection of the improved public health situation, with 90% of Canadians being already vaccinated against COVID-19.

Globally, there have been over 612 million recorded cases of COVID-19 and over six million deaths since the start of the pandemic. These numbers are likely higher as many people do not get tested or otherwise diagnosed.

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