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Negative COVID test results required prior to boarding plane

Beginning Jan. 7, all passengers flying from a foreign country into Canada will be required to test negative for COVID-19 prior to boarding.

This applies to temporary foreign workers and all passengers over the age of five.

“Documentation of a negative laboratory test result must be presented to the airline prior to boarding a flight to Canada,” says a release from the government of Canada. “The test must be performed using a COVID-19 molecular polymerase chain reaction (or PCR) test and must be taken within 72 hours prior to the traveller’s scheduled departure to Canada.”

“Anyone who receives a negative test result and is authorized to enter Canada must still complete the full, mandatory 14-day quarantine.” Travellers to Canada must still use the ArriveCAN App or website introduced late last year.

Any violations could lead to six months in prison and/or $750,000 in fines.

The Western Labour Agriculture Initiative (WALI) says there are two flights of foreign workers scheduled for Jan. 7 and 8 that cannot be rescheduled at this time. “We do not know if workers will be able to get tests completed in time to board these flights.”

WALI adds that they “are working with all governments, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and the Canadian Horticulture Council to find solutions for this new challenge and will provide updates as they are made available.”