The Canadian Airports Council (CAC) this week expressed support for the Canadian government’s announcement of a return to 100 percent arrivals testing of all international travelers to Canada from all countries except the U.S. due to the Omicron COVID variant.
“Canada’s airports appreciate the Government of Canada’s swift move to implement new measures to guard against further spread of the Omicron variant in Canada,” said Daniel-Robert Gooch, CAC president, adding, “The only operationally-feasible way to test 100 percent of international arriving travelers — from all countries except the U.S. — is to provide off-site tests, such as those that travelers can take at their home or other point of self-isolation.”
Gooch called on government transportation to ensure there is sufficient testing capacity to implement these new requirements across all required traveler groups.
“Our air sector is fully vaccinated, and operating in one of the most vaccinated countries in the world,” he said. “Travel and border measures should be commensurate with the health risk and acknowledge Canada’s tremendous achievement in getting Canadians vaccinated against COVID-19.”
