I'm finding ALL the discussions about testing requirements for Canada to be ridiculously confusing and obscure. The question is extremely simple. If you're an American who wants to enter Canada by land now, what is the easiest/cheapest test to take, and how do you take it? Are any self-tests accepted? If you go to an American pharmacy chain (Walgreens, CVS, etc), is an easy/cheap test readily available? Is it called "ID Now"? Do they swab? Is it not a deep swab? Do you get the results fast? What does it cost?

You are able to take any PCR or NAAT test from Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, etc. For Walgreens, ID Now is NAAT, so it is accepted by Canada. Yes they will swab you or they will give you the swab so you swab yourself under the supervision of the attendant. It is generally a swab around your nostrils, not a brain scrambler.

Testing is free for everyone. If you have insurance, you provide them with your insurance information and they will bill your insurance directly. If you don't have insurance, they will bill the state directly. You won't pay anything out of pocket getting a test at Walgreens, CVS, or Rite Aid. Some other private locations might charge you. State run testing facilities are also generally free.

I am looking at driving into British Columbia from Washington State on a Friday night at around 10pm. I will have an unvaccinated 10 year-old with me (all other adults fully vaccinated). Where can I get her tested in Canada? Thank you!

Why do you need to get the 10-year old tested in Canada if you will be (assumingly) driving back to USA which does not require a covid test for land entries?

It's my understanding that all minor children who are unvaccinated and US citizens must be tested again by day 1 in Canada. Am I wrong about that?

I thought the day 1 and day 8 tests were now eliminated except for a random selection but that might be only for those vaccinated.

Yes, I believe that they are random for vaccinated and required for unvaccinated children.

Again, hoping that someone has had to test a minor child after crossing the Peace Arch border in Washington State and can give advice. Someone in another thread said something about the Red Cross tent north of the border but I'm not sure if they are testing that late at night. Thanks!

Prior to 8/9 red cross would do the day 1 test upon arriving into Canada or you could take it with you after hours.

Thank you!

i will admit to not having read the rules 100% in detail, but my understanding was that the arrival tests were now random for all. I’m going to be following this more closely now - I’ll likely be coming with my 3yo in October (I’m fully vaccinated, she obviously can’t be), so would be good to know if she will need to be tested on arrival. I know she is exempt from pre-departure test, being under 5, but I’m going to have her tested first anyway…I realize it’s not required but would rather know and quite frankly don’t want to travel with her, both for personal and public health reasons if she were to test positive.

On the other hand, who knows how many times the rules might change by Oct.

AFAIK, unvaccinated kids between 5 and 11 should be tested at day 1 and 8 (it is at least my experience - kid has to do the tests but not the vaccinated adult, so this is unlikely a random selection).
No test for younger kids.

Thank you! Any suggestions on where to do the test if driving across the border from Washington state into British Columbia?

Walgreens has NAAT tests which return same day. they have locations in seattle and bellingham.

Obviously the situation can change, but my experience finding openings at Walgreens was very poor. CVS seems to have many more slots. I assume the CVS "rapid result" test works just as well (as far as getting into Canada) as the Walgreens test? My only concern is that it's in a different box from the test they describe as "Molecular lab test (PCR / NAAT)."

Thank you. So are you saying that as long as the test is done that particular day, it doesn't matter if it's done in Canada? (for unvaccinated kids 5-8, to comply with the day 1 testing requirement). That's great news if so.