The travel industry is applauding the federal government's decision to remove the COVID-19 PCR testing requirements for fully vaccinated travellers entering or returning to Canada.
"It's fantastic news," said Marty Firestone, president of Travel Secure Inc., in an interview with 愛污传媒 Channel on Tuesday.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced on Tuesday afternoon that starting Feb. 28, fully vaccinated travellers will be allowed to cross into Canada with proof of an antigen test rather than a slower and more expensive PCR test.
"The difference between a PCR test requirement and a rapid antigen requirement is night and day," Firestone said. "It's going to make your trip a totally different experience not having to worry about getting the PCR test."
The federal government strengthened travel restrictions last December amid the rise of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, mandating a pre-departure PCR test for travellers entering Canada, regardless of vaccination status. The feds also imposed a travel advisory against non-essential international travel.
In addition to the eased testing requirements, the new rules mean travellers will no longer have to quarantine while awaiting their test results if they get randomly selected for testing. Duclos also announced that the government would be easing its current advisory recommending Canadians avoid non-essential travel.
The tourism and travel industry had been calling on Canada to ease its COVID-19 restrictions at the border. The Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable, made up of industry, sent an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday calling for an end to the "unnecessary" testing requirements as well as the federal government's advisory against non-essential international travel.
"It's time to get back to business and back to travel," Beth Potter, who is the president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, told 愛污传媒 Channel on Tuesday.
Wendy Paradis, president of the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies, said the travel restrictions have been "catastrophic" for the industry.
"We had seen a surge in bookings starting in the fall and then they disappeared with the Omicron variant," she told 愛污传媒 Channel. "But ever since the variant has peaked, there has been a surge in demand for bookings. Canadians are ready to travel."
The roundtable said Canada had been lagging behind other countries that have already removed their COVID-19 travel restrictions, such as the U.K., Denmark, Switzerland, Ireland and Norway. Paradis says some international tourists are choosing to avoid Canada because of the burdensome testing requirements.
"That really is a challenge for our travel and tourism industry," Paradis said. "They are choosing countries other than Canada because we now have a reputation that we are a closed country and we as an industry and the government need to work together to really change that message to the world."
The U.S. also allows travellers to use antigen tests for pre-departure testing. Firestone also hopes to see the antigen testing requirement lifted eventually.
"Hopefully there will not be another variant and hopefully we lose the negative antigen test (requirement) and we can go on three-day trips without having to get tested at all," Firestone said.
In part three of a four-part investigation into the seedy underbelly of the lucrative clothing donation bin industry, CTV W5's Jon Woodward and Joseph Loiero look into allegations that the industry is rife with organized crime activity.
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Liberal party is 'strong and united,' despite efforts from within his caucus to oust him as leader.
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Abousfian Abdelrazik told a court Wednesday about the roller-coaster of emotions he experienced during the tense days of early 2009 when he awaited the green light to return to Canada from Sudan.
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A Real Canadian Superstore in B.C.'s Fraser Valley was evacuated Tuesday night due to a "suspicious" fire in the toilet paper aisle, according to authorities.
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Trash carried by a North Korean balloon fell on the presidential compound in central Seoul on Thursday, officials said, the second such case in recent months that raise concerns about the vulnerability of key South Korean sites during potential North Korean aggression.
Turkiye鈥檚 air force struck Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria on Wednesday in apparent retaliation for an attack at a key state-run defence company that killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others.
The Justice Department warned Elon Musk鈥檚 America PAC in recent days that his US$1 million sweepstakes to registered voters in swing states may violate federal law, people briefed on the matter told CNN.
If you鈥檙e a regular visitor to Walt Disney World, your annual passes are going to cost you more. The resort in Orlando, Fla., hiked prices on all four levels of its passes on Wednesday.
Three people were found dead Wednesday and four others were hospitalized after an 'unexplained' incident at a care home in southern England, police said.
The U.S. said Wednesday that 3,000 North Korean troops have deployed to Russia and are training at several locations, calling the move very serious and warning that those forces will be 'fair game' if they go into combat in Ukraine.
Canada will lower the number of permanent immigrants it allows into the country by at least 20 per cent from its previous target of 500,000, 愛污传媒 confirmed Wednesday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Liberal party is 'strong and united,' despite efforts from within his caucus to oust him as leader.
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McDonald鈥檚 worked Wednesday to reassure customers that its U.S. restaurants are safe as federal investigators tried to pinpoint the cause of a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to the fast-food giant's Quarter Pounder hamburgers.
A quick shake of the head after a hard hit could signal that a person has a concussion, a new study suggests, based on the experiences of young athletes.
A recall has been issued for certain clothing items sold at Giant Tiger stores over high levels of lead, according to a notice published by Health Canada Tuesday.
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Officials in Hong Kong said Wednesday they have discovered dinosaur fossils in the city for the first time on a remote, uninhabited island that's part of a geopark.
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Cardi B says she has been hospitalized with a medical emergency and will have to miss a Saturday night headlining performance at an Atlanta music festival.
Almost three years after the deadly Astroworld Festival tragedy, Houston rapper and concert headliner Travis Scott just settled hundreds of lawsuits related to the case.
Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.
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Starbucks Corp suspended its forecast through the next fiscal year as new CEO Brian Niccol looks to turn around the coffee giant struggling with falling demand for its pricey drinks.
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The Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia's Kootenay National Park has undergone a $29-million makeover.
An 18-year-old has filed a lawsuit over the ownership of the ball Shohei Ohtani made baseball history with when he became the inaugural member of the 50-50 club.
Evan Mobley had 25 points and eight rebounds to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 136-106 rout in Toronto's home opener on Wednesday as the Raptors also lost starting point guard Immanuel Quickley.
Former 'Malcolm in the Middle' star Frankie Muniz is set to continue his NASCAR career with a full-time ride in the Truck Series for 2025.
An increased risk of fire has prompted the recall of thousands of Honda hybrid vehicles in Canada.
A senior executive for Volkswagen in China has been deported for allegedly using cocaine and marijuana while on vacation in Thailand, according to Chinese authorities and German media reports.
The U.S. government's road safety agency is investigating Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' system after getting reports of crashes in low-visibility conditions, including one that killed a pedestrian.
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A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.
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A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.
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A Manitoba inmate who was released from custody by mistake has been arrested, according to Winnipeg police.
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The Windsor Jewish Federation responded on Wednesday evening to a decision by the board of governors for the University of Windsor concerning its agreements with pro-Palestinian protesters.
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A man who fired at least 19 gunshots at an RCMP detachment in northern British Columbia, narrowly missing officers inside, has won a reduced prison sentence from the province's highest court, which ruled the sentencing judge failed to fully weigh the man's mental illness at the time.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
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Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
Graduate students looking to become mental-health professionals will have more opportunities to study in the University of Lethbridge鈥檚 Master of Education Counselling Psychology program.
A dazzling light display is making its return to Lethbridge this holiday season.
As part of anniversary celebrations, the City of Lethbridge is inviting the community to see VisitLethbridge.com Arena like they never have before.
The lack of 24-hour public washrooms has been a long-standing issue in the Sault, especially considering the rise in homelessness.
The union representing the fire rangers with the Ministry of Natural Resources says money won鈥檛 fix the systemic problems in the workplace.
Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.
Investigators found the remains of a 77-year-old American man on Wednesday at the scene of a fire that destroyed a hotel in western Newfoundland earlier on the weekend.
Police in western Newfoundland say a 77-year-old man visiting the province from Kansas is missing after a fire at a hotel in Deer Lake, N.L.
At 2 p.m. on Thursday, the scene at the Lions Club in Clarenville, N.L., rivalled any rowdy St. John's bar that thumps with music late on a weekend night.
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