If you’ve been following this space for a while, then you know I married a Canadian in 2012 (here are our wedding photos). Prior to the pandemic, we traveled to Toronto at least four times a year to see family and friends. The border has now been closed for 18 months and we kept thinking we would go the day they finally opened it up to Americans, without requiring quarantine.
That day is coming in just over a week, on August 9 (here’s what you need to know), but sadly we’re not going. Here’s why:
1. The Delta variant
Without a doubt, the Delta variant has put a kibosh on our summer plans. Once the pandemic started, we waited over a year to travel as a family by air and our first flight (LAX-JFK) was in early June to see family in Connecticut. Here’s my trip report. We had a fantastic trip and we were so relieved that our daughter did so well on her first ever plane ride that we started booking more flights. But unfortunately, the Delta variant started spreading like wildfire so we canceled our plans. One of our many trips was supposed to be to Toronto but it’s not going to happen since we have two little unvaccinated kids.
2. Canadian airports will be a zoo
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and other major Canadian airports are going to be packed on August 9 and for the first couple weeks afterwards, with family, friends and colleagues ready to reconnect after so many months apart. I recently wrote that if you thought the LHR airport arrivals scene in the hit movie Love Actually was emotional, wait until the day the US/Canadian border opens. However, YYZ and others are going to be a zoo. There are already reports saying that passengers complain of overcrowding and utter chaos at Toronto’s Pearson airport. YYZ is getting progressively busier, much to the dismay of those eager to get away from Toronto for the first time in many months.
3. Canadian Customs and Border Services set to strike
If YYZ wasn’t bad enough on a normal day, it could be much worse, starting on August 6. That’s because, according to Travel Industry Today, “more than 8,500 unionized staff with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) have given their union an overwhelming strike mandate, throwing into question the federal government’s plans for a smooth reopening of the Canada-US border this summer as a federal election looms. CBSA employees could potentially begin strike action.” If this strike happens, watch out and it’s all Canadian airports not just YYZ.
4. Toronto Pearson Airport scraps decision to separate arrivals by vaccination status
No one wants to be jam-packed in slow immigration lines at any time but especially not during a pandemic. Toronto Pearson announced last week that they had started to separate vaccinated and partially/non vaccinated travelers in customs lines, which was a great idea. But unfortunately, they scrapped the idea and a statement from the airport read: “As such, the practice will be ceased as of July 26, 2021, with entry requirements based on vaccination status being enforced once a passenger reaches CSBA.” (via CTV News)
5. It’s going to be expensive
Just like the USA, Canada is requiring all travelers entering Canada to produce a negative COVID-19 test from the last 72 hours. It’s similar to the United States’ plan, except Canada’s requires a PCR test, which costs a lot more than an antigen test. It could cost well over $100 per person to get tested and then you have to worry about the test coming back positive. You can’t leave right away so you will need to let the virus run its course while in a foreign country. Not fun.
Listen, no one wants to go to Canada more than my wife but she says she’s not putting our kids at risk. I want to go too, and especially after watching some clips from last night’s Blue Jays vs Kansas City Royals game. The game made me want to go even more. It was the first game they’d played in Toronto in 670 days!
How about you? Are you going to Canada soon?
Just so you know had test done last week in the states cost 256$ canadian and it was 75$ Canadian before I left
By all means stay in your virus infected country, take wifey and the kids to florida and enjoy Disney world. I’m sure governor death would welcome more maskless and un vaxed tourists.
FYI Canada is one of th3 highest vaccinated countries in the world.
Good call. Many Canadians don’t want to see an army of Americans here anyway.
As a Canadian, a true Albertain, to those other Canadians who would not come to Alberta, don’t. You can keep that west hating Trudeau too. Just don’t forget how Alberta boosted the Canadian economy before Trudeau shut us down. No transition. Buy your dirty oil from foreign sources. Glad the wind blows west to east. You’re so against oil, look around. Most everything is made from oil byproducts. Could you really live without them. Not.
As for our borders, alot of us would prefer our southern border stay closed until the root cause of the continents COVID variant spike is taken care of. The root cause is Biden. Opening up the USAs southern border to some 1.2 million (to date) COVID infested immigrants and releasing them into the general public. Mandating lockdowns, masks, censoring those who disagree is not a solution. CLOSING THE BORDER is a 1st step. But this does not fit into the Bidens political agenda. Nor Trudeau’s.
Crime south of our border is soring while the Democrats try re-inventing policing. If Trudeau tries doing that in Canada, there’ll be a lot of Canadians buying guns to protect themselves.
In our lifetime, we have not seen a Civil War. With all the civil unrest in both our countries, we’re all going to be in the middle of one. More people are going to die than this pandemic has taken.
BIDEN, take that pointy white hat off, take your foot out of your ass and CLOSE THAT FRIGGIN BORDER!
For such a world traveller you dont seem to know Toronto is not a country. Canada actually consists of many provinces much like states. You seem rather upset having to pay $100 to help you stay safe and keep others safe. Your family ain’t worth much to you obviously
Turn off your TV! they are lying to the world they have an agenda. I live in Canada and i don’t know anybody that had covid, even the flu is gone i haven’t had a flu in over 2 years, so sheeple wake up this is non-sense.
Good grief… if this was a real pandemic there would be body bags in the streets and not a 99.9% survival rate. Turn off the TV! Wake up! This is being used politically also lining the pockets of pharmaceutical companies who you can’t sue if you get sick or die from the vaccination and more people have than any other vaccine in all of history. The real issues in Long term care highlighted by Covid aren’t all over the news and being fixed… instead we have a Prime Minister salivating over a great reset! Wake up! This is political!
People still die of A.I.D.S , But their still rawdoggn with out condoms.. so w.t.f. is the big deal, everyone just keep believing the global fraud about covid
Yeah WTF, we have aloud other viruses to kill so why bother to fight new viruses. Even as kids we wouldnt share a cigarette or joint with a friend if we thought we would make them sick. Let me guess you think the world is flat?
Keep wearing your face diaper Mike you moron and let the government tell you when you can sit, walk, talk and shit again. Where on god’s green earth do they find you fucking gullible sheep fuckers. Stay in your bunker for the rest of your pathetic life loser!
Separating people because of their differences. Yeah. Sounds like a brilliant idea we’ve never tried before ? hey you know what make it faster? How about tattoos or patches that announce the differences for easier sorting, and camps to keep them in so they can keep away from the obviously superior people. In fact why don’t we just get rid of those people so they don’t more people like them ?
There are camps already constructed hopefully they’re for all these criminals that have lied to the public about this SCAMDEMIC. But I’d be for a civil war or atleast a good PURGE to get rid of all of these domestic misfits like antifa, BLM, etc….
All these fucking LOSERS tearing down statues and wanting to change everything about MY CANADA. Those pieces of shit should all be fucking ANNIHILATED and sooner than later!
Good, we don’t want you here. Stay in the USA, where everything is out of control.
Your post makes 0 sense, and makes you look like an idiot.
Dear Jesus I’m heartbroken. One less ass crossing the border, what a shame.
WOW!!! What nonsense did I just read? I wasted 10 minutes of my life that I’ll never get back. This post is nothing by fear mongering. Your the government’s dream. You’re playing along exactly how they want you to play. What a depressing live you must live to be locked down in fear this much. As a family of 5 unvaccinated (it’s actually not even a vaccine, more like poison), we have spent the last 18 months going on trips to visit our entire families, who are ALL unvaccinated, because why would we let the government control our lives? Why would we let them keep us from our families? It’s our life. We get ONE life and we will live it out in the best way possible. I suggest finding Jesus amongst this chaos and you will be filled with peace instead of fear.
Amy, you are what is wrong with the world right now. The vaccine is safe, its not poison, sounds like you don’t have your children vaccinated with MMR. You and your family are selfish. You need to think of others, but of course the big bad government is out to get you. When your children or family get horribly sick or die, I guess you can just say that was God’s will
Chuckytorn ever heard the saying opinions are like assholes? Well you’re the biggest, dumbest asshole so far in this thread. There is ZERO data or science that suggests that anyone under 70 or has underlying health issues needs to get vaccinated let alone an mRNA (immune system bypassing) jab! NONE because the survival rate even for 79 and above is 95%. For younger age segmentations its 99%. The CREATOR of mRNA technology states that young adults and kids should NOT use these vaccines. Stop telling others that they’re being selfish you USELESS waste of life and mind your own fucking business. Pieces of shit like you are whats wrong with society nowadays. And believe you me. You types of assholes WILL NOT BE THE NEW NORMAL! Not now not ever or you all will be eliminated. Period.