Canada and Covid tests

Does anyone know what the policy is to get back into the US from Canada driving in? Getting in to Canada is a negative test within 72 hours, but I can’t find anything for the return to the US driving.

Just pretend your illegal and they will let you right in

I went to Canada Labor day weekend
Coming back to US didn’t need any test.

That is what it looks like from other things I have read as well. Thank you

Gary M wrote:

I went to Canada Labor day weekend
Coming back to US didn’t need any test.

Yes no test and not even a mask required completely differently when you enter canada there are very strict about mask! Also in ontario you are required to have your vaccination cards to get into some businesses.

Been there twice this year.
LITERALLY less than a minute to get back in
Show them passport, answer their question on # of fish bringing back, pull down my mask so they can see my face and wave bye bye to me

supercat wrote:

Yes no test and not even a mask required completely differently when you enter canada there are very strict about mask! Also in ontario you are required to have your vaccination cards to get into some businesses.

It must vary by province. When we crossed the border (MN/MB) the agents wore masks but specifically said I did not need to. I was in Manitoba, Alterta, and BC in August and didn’t need to wear a mask anywhere but the airports.

We just got back from Canada Oct 1. No test required coming back. Going into Canada sucked. Had to get tested 72 hrs prior. Must have Vax card and upload both prior to crossing border. My dad and 1 brother are technically challenged (can’t remember passwords or no email address). No biggie we got it done ahead of time. Only to get random tested at the border. All 6 of us on the trip. We crossed at Pigeon River. The random test was a self test. Had to open packet and follow directions. Had to drop off at drop box within 24 hrs. We stopped when going through Thunder Bay (about 4o miles from border). It took just over 2 hrs to complete for all of us. Have to connnect up with some India looking ladies to watch you swab each notril for the entire 15 seconds. Then seal it in a container. Would have preferred to be sitting in the boat for that 2 hrs instead. It was stressful.

No thanks.

bzzsaw wrote:

We just got back from Canada Oct 1. No test required coming back. Going into Canada sucked. Had to get tested 72 hrs prior. Must have Vax card and upload both prior to crossing border. My dad and 1 brother are technically challenged (can’t remember passwords or no email address). No biggie we got it done ahead of time. Only to get random tested at the border. All 6 of us on the trip. We crossed at Pigeon River. The random test was a self test. Had to open packet and follow directions. Had to drop off at drop box within 24 hrs. We stopped when going through Thunder Bay (about 4o miles from border). It took just over 2 hrs to complete for all of us. Have to connnect up with some India looking ladies to watch you swab each notril for the entire 15 seconds. Then seal it in a container. Would have preferred to be sitting in the boat for that 2 hrs instead. It was stressful.

Canada lost my money until this BS is over. Ridiculous…

sounds like they got the kinks out of the process..

Spit test at the airport 3 days prior, results come back tha day before I leave, have vaccine card in hand, arrive canada app filled out ( 3 minutes of your time) and show them the test result from the spit test on my phone ( i print it out too just in case) pull down my mask so they can see my face and the passport matches and that’s it – to go to Ontario.
It all sucks but not that much hassle for the great next 4 or 5 days out of cell range, off the grid, fishing, sitting by a campfire, “making” in an outhouse and generally enjoying peace and quiet. Away from all the tv ads, the doom and gloom news, the ridiculous crap happening in this country, the hype and paranoia about borders, economy, foreign relations and an administration doing its best to create an even LARGER welfare class – worth it to me to leave all that for a few days.

^ sounds like a hassle, at best

Umy wrote:

It all sucks but not that much hassle for the great next 4 or 5 days out of cell range, off the grid, fishing, sitting by a campfire, “making” in an outhouse and generally enjoying peace and quiet. Away from all the tv ads, the doom and gloom news, the ridiculous crap happening in this country, the hype and paranoia about borders, economy, foreign relations and an administration doing its best to create an even LARGER welfare class – worth it to me to leave all that for a few days.

This all can happen at places that have not dates or bs. Was up in Northern MN for a week doing the same thing. But 0 hoops to jump and plenty of great fishing was done

I totally get it – Mother in law in Tenstrike which is nice but no comparison fishing-wise and semi hoarders so, not a real nice environment.
Sister has a place on the North Arm of Rainy. 4 cabins, all redone – beautiful outdoor kitchen, brand new granite countertop outhouse ( yes, still an outhouse), 2 station fish house and if I see 4 boats over the 4-5 day weekend it was “busy”
I go and put up with the COVID BS from Canada because all it costs is gas to get there and food ( which I would spend going to Tenstrike) Plus, literally 3 minutes to fill out Arrive Canada app and already have my Vaccination card and the airport is an easy drive away for a spit test – not THAT big a deal – – to me…. Even without COVID, still the passport and tons of questions – it is AFTER ALL – another country.
The COVID BS exists here too in masks and the looks I get when I don’t wear one but different strokes folks – the cost to me is a huge factor. Would not go most likely if not a “free” destination but I have a very generous sister and am very lucky ( it’s also the same driving distance for me as Tenstrike and Waaaaaaaaaay less traffic)
It all does SUCK but we all have thresholds we are willing to cross – I won’t watch NFL, buy Coke products anymore or shop at Target because of all the associated BS surrounding our current admin and COVID but that is MY threshold and I can respect everyone else’s as it is their right.
So, for those that won’t go to Canada I get it – Minnesota is beautiful too!

Umy wrote:

pull down my mask so they can see my face and the passport matches and that’s it – to go to Ontario.

You got luck if you didn’t get scolded for pulling down your mask we had people in our group told that the top piece around there nose is not tight enough.

My experiences both times this summer and fall were good. Wore the masks up to the window and only pulled down when asked. Border guards were friendly and just doing their jobs. I roll my back windows down as I approach the window and have our paperwork all ready to go in separate bundles so they don’t have to search for anything.
Yes, I have been lucky. Got searched at Baudette on the August 9th but he was training another officer. We had a good conversation and he offered to help put everything away too – no big deal.
I’m pretty crabby right now so one inadvertent comment or look might make the difference in the experience being a “hassle’ or not. I guess time will tell. The canadians I have encountered have all been very nice and happy to see us so that helps.
I will say this, if my sister’s place was in northern mn or dakotas or illnois, wisconsin or someplace down here in the US I am not so certain it would NOT have been burgled or vandalized. Not one thing amiss in the 16 months no one was there and any “canadian” looking to do bad things knows FOR CERTAIN the owners are not going to catch them so either kudos to the canadian people or the “police” they have patrolling the waters.

Crossing the border into Canada and getting a COVID test was no big deal. Did it twice. We did get selected for a random test at the border on one trip. Agree with Angler II on the random test what an absolute dumpster fire….we crossed at I Falls.

if it’s too much “hassle” and “bs” for you, don’t go. i’m hardly going to try and convince anyone otherwise since it means even fewer boats around when i’m up there.

most everyone who has gone (including me) reports that the process is easy and smooth. a few hoops involved, yes, but well worth it to fish up there. we’ve got a very comfortable family place on a beautiful lake with good fishing in northern MN…and it’s still not the same as Ontario.

coming back into the US the border guard told us we didn’t have to wear masks because “we were back in the land of freedom.” i don’t mind wearing a mask when needed (like all day at work), but still found that pretty funny.

we are going to Lake of the Woods again this Saturday and expect the crossing to be even easier – assuming we don’t get pegged for the random test which would be a pain in the butt. we won’t be anxious about it this time or rushing to get it line early, etc. like we were back in August on “reopening” day.

Just got back from LotW.

3 of my 4 cabin partners were tagged with the random test at the border crossing, I was the lucky oddball that did not get one. Our resort told us they have a set number of tests to give out each day, and with much reduced traffic in the fall, the chances of getting one of them goes way up, especially at a slower crossing.

So that said, it was not a dumpster fire, not even much of a hassle. Our resort operator was very organized about it and facilitated the process for us. They made the video call to the test agent who observed and talked each guy through the process – swab the nose, seal the package, etc. It took 20 minutes. My boat partner got it done while I was setting up the boat for our first day of fishing. Undoubtedly it would be much harder trying to figure this out on our own, but our resort owner gave us a heads-up before we got to the border and let us know to just come to the resort where they’d help us with it. One little extra way for them to provide good customer service. (Mylie’s Place Resort in Morson)

Fishing was generally slow, but well worth it with a few big ones in the boat.

Michael C. Winther wrote:

Just got back from LotW.

3 of my 4 cabin partners were tagged with the random test at the border crossing, I was the lucky oddball that did not get one. Our resort told us they have a set number of tests to give out each day, and with much reduced traffic in the fall, the chances of getting one of them goes way up, especially at a slower crossing.

So that said, it was not a dumpster fire, not even much of a hassle. Our resort operator was very organized about it and facilitated the process for us. They made the video call to the test agent who observed and talked each guy through the process – swab the nose, seal the package, etc. It took 20 minutes. My boat partner got it done while I was setting up the boat for our first day of fishing. Undoubtedly it would be much harder trying to figure this out on our own, but our resort owner gave us a heads-up before we got to the border and let us know to just come to the resort where they’d help us with it. One little extra way for them to provide good customer service. (Mylie’s Place Resort in Morson)

Fishing was generally slow, but well worth it with a few big ones in the boat.

Kudo’s to Justin at Mylie’s for being on the ball. I can see how that may end up being a pain if you are camping or don’t have as good of a resort host. Would be nice if the random testing requirement eventually went away.

Wearing masks in the car to be able to drive up??
Sounds fantastic to me…

I crossed in BC on my way to Vancouver. Getting in was pretty easy, just had to have proof of a negative test within the last 72 hours, and be fully vaccinated. Masks are required everywhere indoors in BC. You also have to have proof you have been fully vaccinated to get into any public building. Locals all had a bar code on their phones. I had to show proof each time and they all checked ID to make sure names matched. Getting back into the US was much slower due to only one lane being open.