Amelia Walsh just published an article on AOPA Online about flying to Canada, including the ArriveCan app and the requirement for pre-flight testing, but I'd like to know more details about the arrival procedure.
Before COVID, CBSA rarely actually met your flight upon arrival if you are a small GA aircraft. Is that still true or do they always meet you now to perform COVID formalities? The requirement for a negative test says it must be submitted to the flight “operator” before boarding, so I could imagine they just ask me to confirm that all my passengers have been tested before departure. And there is some mention of randomly requiring some arrivals to take an extra COVID test, but they could do that only for GA flights that they randomly decide to meet anyway.
So what's the actual experience of GA pilots who have flown into Canada? I know the border just recently re-opened to recreational travel, but essential travel, including GA, has never been shut down so there should be plenty of GA pilots who have personal experience with CBSA's latest procedures. Thanks!
John,
The current August 11th Amelia Walsh article has both of the Canadian phone numbers for initial Canadian Customs entry: the area code 905 number if you intent to transit-only Canada and need airport fuel stops, and, the old 888-CAN-PASS number once you get an “ArriveCAN” code --from that app – if you are visiting Canada otherwise. The old CanPass number will check into available Canadian Customs entry points for you. Such entry sites are more limited now; we ‘believe’ Canadian Customs will now be meeting a high percentage of arrivals.