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Easing test restrictions follow border protests at Pacific Highway crossing

New testing rules not a reaction to unrest

By Rena Kingery News Intern

The Pacific Highway U.S./Canada border crossing at Blaine was closed from the afternoon of Feb. 12 to early morning Feb. 15 because of a “Freedom Convoy” protest that blocked the crossing in Surrey, British Columbia.

Commercial vehicles are required to cross the border at the Pacific Highway location as opposed to the nearby Peace Arch crossing, which is reserved for passenger vehicles. For that reason, the crossing is sometimes referred to as the “truck crossing” and is one of the busiest ports of entry between the U.S. and Canada. 

The convoy is part of a series of protests that began in late January when Canadian truckers from across the country traveled to Ottawa, Canada’s capital, to protest the country’s vaccine mandates for big rig truck drivers. Prior to Jan. 15, truckers had been exempt from Canada’s vaccine mandate that was required for other industries.

Similar rallies, including the “Freedom Convoy” in Surrey, have popped up in France, New Zealand and Australia as people gather to demand their freedom from government mandates.

A handful of Americans gathered at the Pacific Highway crossing in Blaine to encourage their Canadian counterparts and offer support, an NTD news article stated. But the crossing was blocked by Canadian protestors, not by Americans.

“Our port of entry was open, but traffic was blocked on the Canadian side,” said Jason Givens, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

No arrests were made by U.S. officials, but a total of 16 protesters in Canada were arrested on Sunday and Monday by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a press release stated. The RCMP continue to investigate illegal activity that occurred during the rally.

Canadian officials announced in a press release Tuesday they would soon ease testing and quarantine restrictions for travelers and Canadian citizens entering the country. Officials stress that lifting restrictions is not a result of the protests.

“Recent data indicates that the latest wave of COVID-19, driven by the omicron variant, has passed its peak in Canada and that now is the time to re-evaluate and adapt the Government of Canada’s approach on border measures,” said Anne Génier, a spokeswoman for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. “As such, the adjustment to the border measures announced yesterday are unrelated to the convoys.”


As of Feb. 28, travelers to the country can fulfill Canada’s pre-entry testing requirement by taking a rapid antigen test the day prior to arrival at their port of entry. However, tests taken at home will not be valid. The test must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service, the press release stated.

Fully vaccinated individuals entering Canada will no longer be required to take a COVID test upon their arrival to the country. Instead, travelers will be randomly selected for arrival testing, and those tested will not need to quarantine while awaiting results. On-arrival testing will still be required for all unvaccinated travelers, and they must quarantine for 14 days after entry.

Easing restrictions might lead to greater tourism in Whatcom County as Canadians find it easier to enter their home country after their visit. The Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University reported that in 2018 Canadians spent $140 million in the region, representing 11.4% of the county’s taxable retail sales. Though the U.S. border reopened to Canadian travelers in November 2021, restrictions and travel recommendations continue to discourage Canadians from crossing the border and frequenting Whatcom’s businesses.

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