Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday that as of February 15, those entering Canada through a land border will need to show a 72-hour PCR test with negative results.
Trudeau said that those without a negative PCR test for non-essential travel could be fined up to $3,000, per person.
PM Trudeau says that Canadian citizens will not be turned away at the land border if they don’t have a negative PCR test but the border guards can apply a “stiff penalty and a fine” #cdnpoli https://t.co/94eP8GYBnx pic.twitter.com/K0rY2ZrdyR
— Mackenzie Gray (@Gray_Mackenzie) February 9, 2021
The measures mirror those for international travel by air, a measure which has been in place since early January.
"It's not legal to refuse entry to any Canadian who wants to come home, and that's something that's a major difference between land borders and air borders," said Trudeau.
"What we can do, in cases of no test to show, apply a stiff penalty, a fine, and demand a rapid and complete follow-up, that they are being tested," said Trudeau.
Trudeau said that the negative PCR tests will be demanded of all non-essential travelers, including snowbirds.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.