Toronto Pearson Airport appears to have changed its mind about separating international travellers by vaccination status.
On Saturday, a spokesperson for the airport told the CBC that the airport was planning to implement separate queues for travellers and said this measure was intended to streamline the border clearance process.
“There are different entry requirements for vaccinated and non-/partially vaccinated travellers, which have been broadly communicated by the Government of Canada,” airport spokesperson Beverly MacDonald said.
However, by Sunday night, the airport released another statement saying that the decision has been reversed.
“Toronto Pearson, in collaboration with the government and other partners, has determined that separation of vaccinated and partially/non vaccinated travellers in customs lines results in minimal operational efficiencies,” 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.”
Vancouver International Airport has already implemented separate queues for travellers based on their vaccination status.
“For vaccinated passengers, if they meet the criteria of having had a Canadian-approved vaccine, at least 14 days prior to travel, then they don’t have to do the two weeks of quarantine upon arrival into Canada. Additionally, there’s no longer a government-approved hotel that they have to stay at,” Vancouver airport’s vice-president of passenger journey, Robyn McVicker, told CityNews.
The government recently announced that as of July 5, fully vaccinated Canadians are exempted from quarantine measures. Starting August 9, fully vaccinated US citizens are also able to enter Canada without quarantine measures.
