'It's great news': Tourism, business groups in US applaud changes to COVID test requirements

CALGARY -

Canadians returning to the country from a short trip abroad soon won't have to provide a negative molecular test to get across the border, CTV News has confirmed.

Though the timing for the change has not been finalized, it will mean fully-vaccinated Canadian travellers will no longer need to provide a molecular test -- the most common from is a PCR test -- when returning if their trip was less than 72 hours long.

It will make it easier and less costly for Canadians who want to take a short shopping or ski trip down south, tourism groups say.

"I think we're very excited about it. Certainly it's revenue coming in, but we're also just excited to see everyone," said Gayle Fisher with the Central Montana Tourism Region.

"We have good friends who cross the border and the cost has been pretty prohibitive with the current regulations," she said.

The requirement to present a negative test will still be in effect for trips that are longer than 72 hours. The tests can cost anywhere between $150 and $300 each.

"We certainly have heard from people that it has prevented them from travelling to Whitefish for a short trip," said Brian Schott with Explore Whitefish.

"I think [the changes] are great news," he said.

'POSITIVE STEP'

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has been pressuring the Canadian Government to make changes to the testing requirements for people crossing the border.

"It's a positive step, it's a step in the right direction. But it's just one step," said Perrin Beatty, the CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

The requirement to have an expensive COVID test to come into Canada for a short trip is an "absurdity," Beatty said. He'd now like to see fully-vaccinated Americans be able to come for short trips without needing a PCR test as well, to help businesses on the Canadian side of the border that are experiencing fewer tourists.

If you have four people, it's costing about $800 Canadian (for tests). You have people say 'this is crazy, there's no way we're going to do this'," Beatty said.

"That's one of the reasons why when our government opened up the border in August, we didn't see the increase in tourism from the United States we would have liked to have seen."