B.C.'s tourism industry wants rapid antigen testing for travellers eliminated
On Monday, Canada began accepting a negative rapid antigen test for travellers, taken within one day of crossing the border.
While the move away from the requirement for a costly and slower PCR test was welcomed, B.C.’s tourism industry said it’s not enough.
“These changes don’t provide the certainty necessary to attract families and travellers back to British Columbia,” said Walt Judas with the Tourism Industry Association of B.C.
Claire Newell with Travel Best Bets agrees the hard hit sector won’t recover while testing requirements remain in place.
“I see the hesitancy that people have when they are making bookings while testing is still required,” Newell said. “I can tell you that business travellers and families simply aren’t willing to take the risk of their trip being unnecessarily extended.”
Businesses that rely on international travellers want Canada to follow many European countries and remove all border testing for fully vaccinated travellers, before tourists decide to spend their holiday dollars elsewhere.
“The summer of 2022 is upon us, we need urgent action now. We need all measures and restrictions removed, otherwise our industry will have a very difficult time managing yet another season loss,” said Keith Henry with the Indigenous Tourism Association of B.C.
It’s not just tourists who could shy away from Canada because of testing requirements. There’s concern large conferences and conventions may avoid B.C. if attendees need to take a pre-departure test.
“We have jurisdictions around the world that are making those decisions right now about where they are going to hold those conferences,” said Bridgitte Anderson with the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
“When they look at Canada and they look the obstacles in place, they will decide to go to other jurisdictions, which means we will lose out for 2022 and beyond,” she said.
The industry representatives are urging the federal government to remove the rapid antigen requirement for international visitors by April 1, and believe allowing Americans to cross the land border into Canada without testing would be a great start.
Fully vaccinated Canadians can already drive to the U.S. without showing a negative test. But like Canada, the United States requires all intentional air travellers take a pre-departure rapid antigen test.
While Henry suspects the two countries will move in tandem in dropping testing for air travel, he urged officials to act soon to ensure tourism-reliant businesses can survive.
“What were asking Canada today is to be leader, we’re not asking them to wait for the U.S.,” he said.
“We know now that the pre-departure testing keeps visitors away. We have seen it.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Bayer recalls hydraSense baby product over 'potential contamination'
Bayer announced Thursday it is recalling two lots of its hydraSense Baby Nasal Care Easydose due to a potential contamination.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.