Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is looking at a phased-in approach to reopening the Canadian border, starting with fully vaccinated travellers.
“We are looking at how we’re going to start welcoming up tourists in a phased way as the numbers come down in Canada, as the numbers start to come down in the United States and elsewhere around the world,” Trudeau said at a virtual event held June 7, adding that Canada needs to ensure travellers are fully vaccinated before they cross the border.
“We don’t want to risk further outbreaks — a fourth wave would be devastating, not just to the economy but to morale,” he said, although it is still unclear what this proof of vaccination would look like.
In order to decide what the phased-in approach will look like, Trudeau said the government will take into account metrics such as international case numbers and global vaccination rates. For example, one possible scenario is the first phase would allow vaccinated travelers to avoid quarantine if they provide a negative COVID-19 test.
