Soon Hotel Q-ine for land border crossings?
 

Building political pressure by BQ in Quebec to fix the "loophole" of driving vs flying across the US border: in La Presse today, sorry folks it's in French:

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/p...de-le-bloc.php

Rational thinking would suggest the "loophole" is a million times easier to "eliminate" by getting rid of the hotel Q requirement in the first place, but hey I am not a politician.

yep, everyone has to do it or get a fine / threat of imprisonment

So, here is my experience.

We crossed at the Fort Erie bridge on March 8.

Tip: Before you cross, be sure you have completely filled out the ArriveCan app and gotten your code. A whole family needs just one code, so one should register for all. Also, save yourself some time and pre-register with Switch Health (http://portal.switchhealth.ca/), creating your own account, then registering dependents (which includes a spouse). Again, a whole family can register together.

• We arrived at 2 PM and there were no cars ahead of us at either of the two open kiosks.
• The border agent took our passports, then the results of our COVID tests, then copied down our ArriveCan code, validating all of our contact information.
• He asked about our quarantine plan, including whether we will be alone in the house and how we will get food.
• He read a formal statement to us about quarantining and asked the driver to read a formal statement back to him acknowledging all of it.
• He gave us two test kits per person along with an extensive instruction sheet about how to quarantine.
• He asked the usual "anything to declare" questions.
• He told us to advance to the secondary inspection area for our first COVID test.
• He was super kind, helpful, and apologetic in that classically deferential Canadian way ("Sorry this is taking so long…" "I apologize for this…")
• It took around 8-10 minutes to do all this.

We then advanced to the secondary inspection area where several people were wearing masks, shields, and gowns.

• They helped us get registered on Switch Health.
• They helped us go through the testing process for the first COVID test. (It's a self-administered nasal swab, but one of the shallow, not deep versions.)
• They were extraordinarily kind, happy, and helpful.
• We swabbed ourselves, handed it to them, and got underway.
• The COVID test took around 15-20 minutes.
• We were there for 15-20 minutes and none of the other cars crossing behind us had to test, so all must have been exempt.

So overall it is a lot more work than in days past, but seamless enough. Count on it taking about 20-30 minutes to cross the border, even if there is no line to get to a booth.

On day 10 we will take the second test, then send it in via courier.

Additional info: I rented from Enterprise in Cleveland airport and returned it to a minor Enterprise location in the GTA. No one at the border asked or cared about our car.

Great summary. Very helpful!

Why isnt this in the news? I understand the exemptions, but why isnt everyone at the very least, rapid tested at the border? What is the point of pulling you over for 30 minutes, and going thru the motions when you let in everyone behind you without as little precaution as a test?

In other news, I saw some Hertz one-way rentals BUF-YYZ for July/August at around USD60 (drop off fee included). Booked a couple.

I really hope the airport jails are in the rear view mirror by then...

In case you're interested (this is FlyerTalk, after all), this is what the at-the-border and take-home test kits look like.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...4dca0d0a0a.png
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...154182f128.png

What do they give a CDN citizen living in USA who visits Canada for 1-2 days?? Wasteful to give them a 10-day test kit.

Thank you for this detailed and most helpful summary of your experience and for mentioning rental car return. If anyone is using the Whirlpool Bridge it would be helpful to know how similar or different the experience is since it’s not one of the 22 crossings with testing.

Anyone able to secure SEA-YVR OW rentals at a reasonable price?

As I said upthread, I have a few booked. All at $245.

that can be booked now. when did you book yours? as i said, i believe they blocked rentals from sea to yvr since you booked.

I booked a new one two days ago. My flight times changed so I had to cancel one booking and rebook.

which site and rate?

Costco. $245. I just said the rate two posts above. Avis or Budget. I chose Budget.