Canada Reverses Decision on Truckers, Vaccine Mandate Back on

Today, the Minister of Health, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, and the Minister of Public Safety, the Honourable Marco Mendicino, issued the following statement:

“On November 19, 2021, we announced that as of January 15, 2022, certain categories of travelers who are currently exempt from entry requirements, will only be allowed to enter the country if they are fully vaccinated with one of the vaccines approved for entry into Canada.

These groups include several essential service providers, including truck drivers. Let us be clear: This has not changed.

Our teams have been in touch with industry representatives to ensure they have the correct information.

A Canadian truck driver who is not fully vaccinated can’t be denied entry into Canada—Canadian citizens, persons registered as Indians under the Indian Act and permanent residents may enter Canada by right.

As announced in November and as we’ve communicated with the industry recently, starting January 15, unvaccinated Canadian truck drivers entering Canada will need to meet requirements for pre-entry, arrival and Day 8 testing, as well as quarantine requirements.

The final decision regarding entry and quarantine is made by a government representative at the port of entry, based on the information presented to them at the time.

Any individual who is symptomatic upon arrival to Canada will be directed to a Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) official and will be directed to isolate for 10 days from the time symptoms first occurred.

As of January 15, 2022, unvaccinated or partially vaccinated foreign national truck drivers, coming to Canada from the US by land, will be directed back to the United States.

To qualify as a fully vaccinated traveler and to enter Canada, foreign national truck drivers must:

• have received at least two doses of a vaccine accepted for travel, a mix of two accepted vaccines
• or at least one dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine
• have received their second dose at least 14 full days before they enter Canada (For example: if a driver received their second dose anytime on Saturday, January 1, then Sunday, January 16 would be the first day that they would meet the 14-day condition.)
• have submitted all required COVID-19 information into ArriveCAN.

The Government of Canada’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to prioritize the health and safety of Canadians. As vaccination levels, case counts and hospitalization rates evolve, the Government of Canada will continue to consider further targeted measures at the borders—and when to lift or adjust them—to keep Canadians safe.”

Contacts:

Marie-France Proulx – Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos – Minister of Health – (613) 957-0200

Allison St-Jean – Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary – Office of the Honourable Omar Alghabra – Minister of Transport – allison.st-jean@tc.gc.ca

Craig MacBride – Director of Communications – Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness – (343) 550-0626 – craig.macbride@ps-sp.gc.ca

Media Relations – Public Health Agency of Canada – (613) 957-2983 – media@hc-sc.gc.ca

Media Relations – Transport Canada, Ottawa – (613) 993-0055 – media@tc.gc.ca

Media Relations – Public Safety Canada – (613) 991-0657 – psmediarelations@ps-sp.gc.ca

Public Inquiries:

613-957-2991
1-866-225-0709