The government maintains that random testing for air travellers is needed to detect new COVID-19 variants


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Government rules state that if you test positive on arrival, you must isolate for 10 days.

…Travellers selected for random testing should receive an email notification within 15 minutes of passing through customs, according to a government news release.

"The email will contain information to help them arrange for their test with a testing provider in their region," the release says.

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Passengers with connecting flights will not be forced to leave the airports in Toronto, Calgary, Montreal or Vancouver to go to a testing site in those cities.

Instead, the government says those passengers can go to participating testing sites at their final destinations or book virtual self-swab appointments.

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Offsite testing for travellers will be conducted by private lab companies, such as Dynacare, LifeLabs and Switch Health.

The labs available vary by province. Travellers can check the government's website to learn where to go in their region.

An offsite testing provider may also send travellers to a pharmacy for a test.

A notification email will also indicate where a traveller can be tested in their region, the government says.