rankourabu

What if you land at 8am, go home, and then report to the prison at 8pm....

YYZ1313

Here's a fun exclusive update: travellers will only be able to book their hotel by phone. Most airport hotels will participate. Also, this isn't called a mandatory hotel quarantine anymore. They call it now the mandatory hotel stopover. Once you get your test results, you call the hotel reception to inform them and you'll be able to check out. If after three days you haven't received your test results, someone from PHAC will call you. You will possibly be allowed to go home if you have a suitable quarantine plan.

sydneyracquelle

What if I lie and tell the front desk I got my results when I didn’t or I tested positive but told them I tested negative?

YYZ1313

They're required to keep a log of guests who check in and out which must be shared with PHAC. Would they actually find out if you tried that? Maybe.

bambinomartino

Just called the Baymont at YUL (identified in a CTV story as one of those hotels). The very nice lady at the front desk informed me that reservations will be through a government website. It was supposed to be up today, but she is hopeful it will be done by tomorrow.

Someone on twitter just said there is a toll free number to call... what a mess.

1 800 294 8253

So, at Vancouver so far it's only the Westin. 525 per night, 650 for two adults (same for 2 adults plus 2 children).

Toronto, 4 choices so far. A couple of Sheratons and a Days Inn I think. $320 per night single, 450-500 double occupancy.

The lady on the phone did not know what happens if test result arrives after the first or second day. So I guess you pay 3 nights.

She also did not know if the cost of the tests is included in these amounts.

How the heck will people be able to call a Canadian toll free number from say... Ethiopia?

Bartolo

So why is that a better public health plan than quarantining at home from day 1?

mapleloaf

I can't tell if this is real or satire. Phone only? Source?

YYZ1313

You'll see.

mapleloaf

I definitely wouldn't be calling because someone on twitter says so... I've seen this going around reddit today as well. Giving CC over the phone? brutal. Any gov site with this number yet? (even then, pretty dodgy way to pay....)

bambinomartino

Called again, there is also a non-toll free number 613 830 2992.

It looks like that doesn't include the test. It is consistent with the YUL website upthread where you book with the test provider (and presumably pay them directly).

The agent I spoke to said that the 3 nights are NON REFUNDABLE. You are welcome to leave early if the test result arrives, but you are out the three nights. The amounts I quoted above do not include tax. For YYZ (one of the Sheratons), the nightly rate for double occupancy is $509. With tax, the three nights are a hair below $1,800. Didn't ask for single, hated to waste the lady's time, but we're probably looking at close to $1,500 for YYZ hotels, and with a couple of covid tests at ~200 a pop -- there's your $2,000.00 for a single traveller.

Edit: the lab that does the tests at YUL says that you do not pay (them) for it. Perhaps the price is baked into the three-day total? But then, as in the YVR example, why would 2 adults and 2 adults and 2 children (if they are above 5yrs old) be the same price? The tests for the children should increase the cost significantly, if included. What a mess!

This reinforces my sense that it is a punitive measure above anything else.

I agree. I just called out of curiosity. Let's see what the government announces tomorrow perhaps.

rankourabu

Of course it is. It always was. Nothing to do with virus spread when thousands are still untested and exempt. This pricing is insane (I wouldnt pay $50 for a Sheraton), and really screws people who absolutely have to go somewhere, and also screws the employers of all non-exempt OPM flyers.

Worst part - who knows where this will get lifted.

The land border remains the only alternative.

mapleloaf

I just talked to someone at the COVID hotline (1-833-784-4397). Previously they had no helpful information for me, but tonight they confirmed that in our case where we are travelling to the US for a clinical trial for my son, that we do NOT need to pre-book a quarantine hotel. This was what I suspected given the language in the OIC, but the actual procedure of how to go about the exemption was unclear to me. They said a quarantine screening officer when we land in Canada will review the letters and documentation we have and waive us onward to our domestic flight (and then we'll quarantine at home as we have before).

They also stressed that this procedure could change at any time. Luckily we have a couple of weeks before travelling to monitor how things go. I did at one point wonder if we would be required to show a quarantine booking confirmation prior to boarding the flight to Canada -- as of today, it doesn't sound like it, but I could see that changing.

smes

So let's review things here.

If I'm correct about the procedure you need to do the following:

1) Book a hotel online/over the phone
2) Upon arrival in Canada, leave the airport on your own for another location to do the Covid-19 test
3) Then, upon completion of the Covid-19 test, go to a hotel and check yourself in.


This program is an absolute joke. I'm expecting minimal compliance for this. What's stopping someone from getting their test, going home, and when PHAC calls say 'Sorry, I'm going to quarantine at home. I don't have money for a hotel'

Yul_voyager

The test is going to be taken at the airport. There are already test taken at the airport at YYZ and YUL and it may also be the case at YYC and YVR.
As for the hotel, you will have to prepay or otherwise they won't let your board. Sure, you can drive directly to your home but you won't get your money back and the hotel will certainly alert PHAC who can alert the local police...

sydneyracquelle

I will do a chargeback on my credit card for an unauthorized transaction and go home.