There are many pandemic restrictions at Canadian airports and land borders, including vaccine mandates, random COVID-19 testing, and requirements for international travelers to answer pandemic-related questions on the ArriveCAN app.

These expanded measures will continue until at least June 30, according to federal government officials today.

This extension means that all travelers, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status, will need to continue providing information on ArriveCAN before arriving at the Canadian border.

For his part, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra told reporters Tuesday morning, "We have always had to balance protecting public health and ensuring the flow of our economy."

The Canadian Airports Council blamed massive customs delays across the country partly on pandemic measures still in place at airports, but Alghabra insisted this is not the whole story.

Alghabra adds: "Public health measures may be part of the reason for the slowness at airports." "There are other jurisdictions with volume issues that have no public health measures."

He says some European airports without health measures are experiencing similar delays.

He then clarifies, "The discussion is ongoing. We have lifted many of the public health measures we took and are now reassessing the remaining public health measures."

Pre-entry testing is no longer required for fully vaccinated travelers entering Canada. Unvaccinated foreigners cannot travel to Canada except for special exemptions.

Editor: Dima Abu Khair