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-   -   Random arrival testing (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/canada/2083169-random-arrival-testing.html)

Adam Smith Sep 6, 2022 1:59 pm


Originally Posted by analogueman (Post 34553873)
And I’m guessing nobody has requested this proof yet? So in theory everyone could just select opinion four? Yep, medical theatre.

Nope, nobody has requested it. Although I just got tagged AGAIN and the e-mail says "Travellers who can provide proof of a prior positive COVID-19 molecular test result taken at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before entering Canada should report this when entering the country or by calling 1-833-641-0343 as soon as possible."

That text was not in the August 2nd version of the e-mail.

Obviously I've already entered the country so can't provide it when entering, which makes that particular bit of the e-mail a complete waste of electrons, not to mention the 800 hours of bureaucrats' time that went in to writing it, re-writing it, debating every last word, making sure it was consistent in both official languages...

I'm very tired of my tax dollars being frittered away on this nonsense.

Leopardz Sep 6, 2022 2:05 pm

Are you going to call them? If so, I’d appreciate hearing about how it went. Thank you.


Originally Posted by Adam Smith (Post 34577881)
Nope, nobody has requested it. Although I just got tagged AGAIN and the e-mail says "Travellers who can provide proof of a prior positive COVID-19 molecular test result taken at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before entering Canada should report this when entering the country or by calling 1-833-641-0343 as soon as possible."

That text was not in the August 2nd version of the e-mail.

Obviously I've already entered the country so can't provide it when entering, which makes that particular bit of the e-mail a complete waste of electrons, not to mention the 800 hours of bureaucrats' time that went in to writing it, re-writing it, debating every last word, making sure it was consistent in both official languages...

I'm very tired of my tax dollars being frittered away on this nonsense.


J. Leslie Sep 6, 2022 5:15 pm


Originally Posted by Adam Smith (Post 34577881)
Nope, nobody has requested it. Although I just got tagged AGAIN and the e-mail says "Travellers who can provide proof of a prior positive COVID-19 molecular test result taken at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before entering Canada should report this when entering the country or by calling 1-833-641-0343 as soon as possible."

That text was not in the August 2nd version of the e-mail.

Obviously I've already entered the country so can't provide it when entering, which makes that particular bit of the e-mail a complete waste of electrons, not to mention the 800 hours of bureaucrats' time that went in to writing it, re-writing it, debating every last word, making sure it was consistent in both official languages...

I'm very tired of my tax dollars being frittered away on this nonsense.

Have you considered just ignoring them?

Adam Smith Sep 6, 2022 7:00 pm


Originally Posted by Leopardz (Post 34577905)
Are you going to call them?

Not sure. I may just wait and see if they phone me in a few days to ask why I haven't done the test, then select the already-tested-positive option like last time.


Originally Posted by J. Leslie (Post 34578461)
Have you considered just ignoring them?

Yes.

bambinomartino Sep 7, 2022 2:17 am

Landed at YVR today. Among first out of plane, no one in immigration hall, sailed through, etc. No one mentioned anything, no emails about tests, nothing.

I just logged into my ArriveCAN, and cannot see this trip. In the past, there would be daily check-ins I could do in the app, and since we travelled with unvaccinated under-12s, they have to quarantine for 14 days (yeah right, no one is missing 2 weeks of school). Is this normal? I suspect we will be getting robocalls starting tomorrow, as we did the other two trips abroad this year.

The only thing I did differently this time is add an apartment number to my single-family dwelling address. It may or may not have included some choice words and our Prime Minister's name, all in caps. A little surprised the app took it, as the apt # contained no numbers whatsoever.

analogueman Sep 7, 2022 9:52 am


Originally Posted by Adam Smith (Post 34577881)
Obviously I've already entered the country so can't provide it when entering, which makes that particular bit of the e-mail a complete waste of electrons, not to mention the 800 hours of bureaucrats' time that went in to writing it, re-writing it, debating every last word, making sure it was consistent in both official languages…

Yeah, that part is stupid. Don’t you get the email 15 minutes after you’ve cleared customs? You can’t exactly go back and say, “Oh, by the way…”

This system. Has anybody got a clue what they’re doing?

Adam Smith Sep 7, 2022 11:14 am


Originally Posted by analogueman (Post 34580327)
Yeah, that part is stupid. Don’t you get the email 15 minutes after you’ve cleared customs? You can’t exactly go back and say, “Oh, by the way…”

This system. Has anybody got a clue what they’re doing?

They say "within 15 minutes" of clearing customs. I don't know the exact time I cleared customs, but the e-mail hit my inbox 5 minutes after I got picked up by an Uber. So I was definitely no longer in a position to just walk over to a CBSA officer and say "hey, about this testing thing..."

Covidian98 Sep 7, 2022 8:11 pm

Haha, reminds me of a few months ago I was screened by a CBSA officer after landing, in a make shift stand they set up (so not the regular booths and desks), so even though she said I wasn’t selected for random testing, I asked to submit my proof of recovery just in case they later decide to select me retroactively (which happened to me before ), so she said “what am I gonna do with that?”. I said “pass it to the PHAC” so she said “How am I gonna do that?”. So I gave up. But maybe it’s possible to upload it into ArriveCan together with the vaccination proof ?

J. Leslie Sep 8, 2022 8:24 am

From the National Post this morning re: Detroit Free Press Marathon:
"Marathon organizers announced Wednesday that in addition to having proof of vaccination against COVID-19, which has already hurt registration numbers, runners must also carry an ArriveCAN receipt to enter Canada."
The Canadian section of the race is about 20 minutes.
Beyond ridiculous.

Finkface Sep 8, 2022 9:07 am


Originally Posted by bambinomartino (Post 34579393)
Landed at YVR today. Among first out of plane, no one in immigration hall, sailed through, etc. No one mentioned anything, no emails about tests, nothing.

I just logged into my ArriveCAN, and cannot see this trip. In the past, there would be daily check-ins I could do in the app, and since we travelled with unvaccinated under-12s, they have to quarantine for 14 days (yeah right, no one is missing 2 weeks of school). Is this normal? I suspect we will be getting robocalls starting tomorrow, as we did the other two trips abroad this year.

The only thing I did differently this time is add an apartment number to my single-family dwelling address. It may or may not have included some choice words and our Prime Minister's name, all in caps. A little surprised the app took it, as the apt # contained no numbers whatsoever.

Well it would probably help if you familiarized yourself with the rules before you rant about things that don't apply to you. Unvaccinated under-12s do not have to quarantine for 14 days. So if you think you are standing up to The Man by sending them to school anyway, you aren't. They are allowed to go to school. Rather than protest against an imaginary rule that you think is stupid, why not read the rules? It isn't quite the protest you were hoping for.


https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/tr...ntering-canada

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children 5 through 11 years old

Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children under the age of 12 aren’t required to provide a valid pre-entry test result, if they’re accompanying a fully vaccinated adult.

They’re exempt from quarantine, without any limitations on their activities. This means, for example, they don't need to wait 14 days before attending school, camp or daycare.

bambinomartino Sep 8, 2022 10:04 am


Originally Posted by Finkface (Post 34583185)
Well it would probably help if you familiarized yourself with the rules before you rant about things that don't apply to you. Unvaccinated under-12s do not have to quarantine for 14 days. So if you think you are standing up to The Man by sending them to school anyway, you aren't. They are allowed to go to school. Rather than protest against an imaginary rule that you think is stupid, why not read the rules? It isn't quite the protest you were hoping for.


https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/tr...ntering-canada

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children 5 through 11 years old

Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children under the age of 12 aren’t required to provide a valid pre-entry test result, if they’re accompanying a fully vaccinated adult.

They’re exempt from quarantine, without any limitations on their activities. This means, for example, they don't need to wait 14 days before attending school, camp or daycare.

Don't care.

They had to quarantine upon return on an earlier trip this year. They didn't. Then after another trip June we kept getting robocalls threatening fines apparently because the app is trash. All I care to check is the things that actually affect us practically, which is basically limited to the ability to get on the plane.

They still require unvaccinated children to wear masks for 14 days. They can go play on the interstate.

It's not that I think the rules are stupid, they are objectively idiotic.

Adam Smith Sep 8, 2022 10:05 am


Originally Posted by Covidian98 (Post 34581986)
But maybe it’s possible to upload it into ArriveCan together with the vaccination proof ?

Nope, unless it's hidden and requires some special super secret code to access.

Covidian98 Sep 8, 2022 8:04 pm


Originally Posted by Adam Smith (Post 34583374)
Nope, unless it's hidden and requires some special super secret code to access.

I was thinking we can create a multi-page PDF file which consists of both the vaccination proof and the proof of recovery, and then upload that file. Surely, ArriveCan cannot prevent you from doing that, as it cannot automatically validate all forms of vaccination proofs. So a human has to look at the file. In any case, even if they ignore the recovery proof and later select you for arrival testing, you can always claim you sent it, and that they have it, therefore you fullfilled your obligation to "present" the proof and claim the exemption from arrival testing. If they say you didn't submit it "properly", then you can say that there is no "proper" method defined for such submission. So I would think that legally this would be sufficient defense against any non-compliance accusation.

GregWTravels Sep 9, 2022 6:21 am


Originally Posted by J. Leslie (Post 34583068)
From the National Post this morning re: Detroit Free Press Marathon:
"Marathon organizers announced Wednesday that in addition to having proof of vaccination against COVID-19, which has already hurt registration numbers, runners must also carry an ArriveCAN receipt to enter Canada."
The Canadian section of the race is about 20 minutes.
Beyond ridiculous.

20 minutes depends on how fast you run - would probably take me more than that.

Sorry to take this OT, but I've never heard of this race before. How do you clear Canadian and US borders as you pass back and forth between them? That feels like it could impact your race time.

ElevatorEnthusiast Sep 10, 2022 3:28 am

Can anyone confirm from experience that YTZ (Billy Bishop) is not included in the random testing system? I know most of the articles say the four major airports, but the government's press release only mentions Toronto, which suggests that YTZ is included with YYZ.

I'm looking to head from Chicago to Toronto in November, and flights from MDW to YTZ are about the same price as flights from ORD to YYZ. If I can avoid the chance of random testing, seems like YTZ makes more sense?


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