$5000 fine for arriving at a land border with a positive Covid test?

[mjf]

My family are planning to drive to WDW from Ontario for March break. We were uncomfortable with flying because of the possibility of testing positive for Covid and not being allowed on an airplane and stuck in the US... so we chose to drive to remove that uncertainty. Initially we had planned a trip in December and, at the time... before Omicron, the information we could find said that if you arrived at a land border with a positive test that you would be allowed through as long as you had a plan for isolation upon arriving home. We didn't realize that the land border rules had changed.

From reading some threads on here, it sounds like there is now a $5000 fine per person for arriving at the land border with a positive test. Is that true? Has anyone had experience with this?

A few specific questions... not sure if anyone here might know the answer or could point me in the right direction:
- If we show up at the border with a positive test result, does that mean we're automatically fined $5000 per person?
- Would we have the option to just turn around if they say "You can go home, but it will cost you $5000 each"?
- Is there a chance that the border guard will just let us go through if we have a plan to isolate?


It seems ludicrous to me that they would be relaxing the rules but that the fine would stay in place...

Thanks.

 

[samsteele]

I'll let those who are very up to date on this take a swing at your question, but my basic understanding is there is no automatic $5K fine particularly if you have a well-thought out quarantine plan that you can communicate to border services. eg driving straight home, not stopping for food, etc, working from home and will have relative or neighbour buy groceries and drop off on the porch. A basic, practical plan communicated in a calm fashion. I think the fine is reserved for those who advise they will not quarantine and will not comply. This means a great deal of discretion in the hands of the border services agent you draw. I have no personal experience with this scenario and don't personally know anyone who has. No doubt other posters will provide more info below.

 

[CKCruising]

The fine is not automatic, but it is not a given they will wave you through either. We were warned by the Health Canada person we discussed our quarantine with, rather than the border guard. I doubt you can turn around as we were told about the fine in the secondary inspection. We already crossed into Canada.
My understanding the fine is per person who don't meet the criteria, not per person in the car.

 

[miccolt]

Unfortunatley, I don't have an answer, but I am in the exact same situation.

It is beyond frustrating that you would not be allowed back into Canada to isolate at home without the threat of a hefty fine. I am a rule follower, but this one is really hard to swallow and accept.

 

[spewey]

Yeah, this is an interesting scenario. From the actual website:

"Canadians: To avoid being fined $5,000 per traveller (plus surcharges), wait to enter Canada at least 10 calendar days after your positive test result."

So - doesn't seem to be a lot of discretion here. They really, really don't want you to come home if you're positive. But - by the time you're explaining your plan to a guard, you're already on Canadian soil, and can't turn around at that point.

Having said that, I have heard of several people driving back with positive results, and none were fined. But, and allow me to be a broken record here, as long as that's a possibility I can't imagine the average person will want to risk it. In summation: mandatory testing means no leaving the country for nearly everyone.

 

[pigletto]

Unfortunatley, I don't have an answer, but I am in the exact same situation.

It is beyond frustrating that you would not be allowed back into Canada to isolate at home without the threat of a hefty fine. I am a rule follower, but this one is really hard to swallow and accept.

I have to agree, especially considering if my vaccinated child tests positive he can return to school with over a thousand other people five days after that test. However if I test positive on vacation I can’t return by private vehicle and isolate in my own home, but have to remain in that other country for ten days.