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Canada opens up for vaccinated anglers, no testing required
MARCH 31, 2022 — 7:20PM

DESTINATION ONTARIO
Fly-in fishing trips to Canadian lakes will again be on the agendas of many American anglers this summer, thanks to an easing of border-crossing restrictions.
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MOREDennis Anderson Dennis Anderson @STRIBDENNIS
American anglers in need of a Canada fix get a break beginning Friday when they can travel north of the border without being required to show a negative COVID-19 test result.

Canadian resort owners and outfitters who have barely hung on financially during the pandemic hope elimination of the testing requirement brings anglers and other tourists north this summer in droves.

But there's a hitch, the operators say, and it goes to the heart of the issue that has divided Americans since COVID vaccines were developed: Only about 65% of Americans have received first and second vaccine doses, and fewer still have received boosters.

And while Canada is dropping its requirement that visitors provide proof of a negative COVID molecular test within 72 hours of crossing the border, the same visitors must nevertheless be "fully vaccinated'' to gain entry.

Canada defines fully vaccinated as those who have had at least two vaccine doses.

"Unfortunately, not all Americans are vaccinated, and it seems that quite a few Americans who over the years have been coming to Canada to fish are in this category,'' said Erin Rody, marketing manager at Ontario's Sunset Country Association, a trade group that represents 170 resorts and outfitters.

The problem, Rody said, is that relatively few anglers travel to Canada by themselves. Many arrive in groups, some pieced together over long periods of time. Others are packaged as employee or customer reward trips. And some consist of multiple family members.

"So, the dropping of the testing requirement isn't a perfect solution to resort owners' problems,'' Rody said. "Maybe there's a group of five people who have been coming a long time. But one or two aren't vaccinated. Are the others going to come? Maybe, but maybe not.''

Canadian resorts that can be reached by vehicle have in some cases gained a modicum of income during the past two years by renting cabins to construction crews and other workers, Rody said.

Very simple... if you want to go to their country, get vaccinated. So simple.

Pinetree. So simple indeed.

Good. Now we just need the RABC to get reinstated and the southern ranger entry points opened up again.

Loosening up some.

It sounds like they still expect fewer people. Wish I was in a position to go, but my summer is pretty full…the fishing has to be incredible.

T

Pinetree: "Very simple... if you want to go to their country, get vaccinated. So simple."

Or, if Canada wants the business revenue...

Unas10: "

Pinetree: "Very simple... if you want to go to their country, get vaccinated. So simple."

Or, if Canada wants the business revenue..."

I wouldn’t hold your breath…people can argue all they want but the government and the majority of Canadians have made their choice. Unfortunately it’s become political on both sides of the debate. If they didn’t back off with the truckers which has way more impact than a few fisherman they aren’t going to care about a few canoeists or fisherman. Some of these resort owners complaining are Americans that own these businesses in Canada and don’t want to get vaccinated…the Canadian Government couldn’t care less about them. Why should they? Maybe a Canadian will buy?

Long term if they keep the requirements (I don’t think they will) I don’t think it will hurt them one bit. This new change will give them an uptick in business I’d say fall or next summer they will remove but there is a small possibility this never goes away.

AND…all the usual places I would go…are already booked out by vaccinated Americans anyway? I checked when I read this article because I got excited to go back.

T

I Agree that not letting unvaccinated in won't hurt their businesses much at all. After being threatened with losing our jobs and livelihood, most of us are vaccinated. The power of the pharmaceutical companies is truly frightening.

Gadfly: The power of the pharmaceutical companies is truly frightening. "

I know! It really shakes me to my core how many lives this vaccine has saved when I think about where the world would be right now without one.

But, as Pinetree said above about Canada: Their Country, Their Rules.

I'm glad they removed that stumbling block.

For the unvaccinated I was listening to Tony Mariotti on the radio this AM and he entered Canada to fish and didn’t upload his vaccination status on the Arrivcan app just an anti-body test that was positive. He claimed if you had the anti-body test (need it to be at least 10 days prior to entry) and it was positive, Canada will grant you access for 180 days without vaccination (since you have immunity from a previous infection) and no testing is needed.

I cannot verify any of this, but I am listening to his Canadian fishing trip story (ice fishing Manitoba) as I sit enjoying coffee.

This wouldn’t apply to every unvaccinated person but may help a few. He is a professional fisherman so maybe that’s why he could cross (he might be vaccinated but he didn’t show vaccination status).

Not trying to start a debate on vaccination (I and my parents work in healthcare and have been vaccinated for over a year :) ) just trying to provide information on crossing.

T

Being two days deep into Quetico and becoming sick would be a nightmare for many.

timatkn: "For the unvaccinated I was listening to Tony Mariotti on the radio this AM and he entered Canada to fish and didn’t upload his vaccination status on the Arrivcan app just an anti-body test that was positive. He claimed if you had the anti-body test (need it to be at least 10 days prior to entry) and it was positive, Canada will grant you access for 180 days without vaccination (since you have immunity from a previous infection) and no testing is needed.


I cannot verify any of this, but I am listening to his Canadian fishing trip story (ice fishing Manitoba) as I sit enjoying coffee.


This wouldn’t apply to every unvaccinated person but may help a few. He is a professional fisherman so maybe that’s why he could cross (he might be vaccinated but he didn’t show vaccination status).


Not trying to start a debate on vaccination (I and my parents work in healthcare and have been vaccinated for over a year :) ) just trying to provide information on crossing.


T"

The positive test only satisfied the testing requirement, not the requirement to be vaccinated. In other words, when it was necessary to demonstrate a negative PCR (originally) or rapid antigen test (more recently), you could avoid these if you could show a positive PCR result between the last 10-180 days. None of this precluded the requirement to be vaccinated - which is still on the books.

Curious...did he just ski-doo over and not cross at a border entry point?

He crossed at international Falls I believe. It was definitely by road/vehicle. He reported his buddy didn’t do the final step of the Arrive Can and they/Canadians turned them around/away. They got back in line and his buddy finished the submission and they were allowed into Canada.

Maybe he wasn’t explaining things correctly. But he specifically said he did not upload his vaccination status onto the Arrive Can app. And they didn’t ask for it.

The interview took place today and they were talking about border travel. Anyway doesn’t change anything for me, just thought others might want to look into it. Sorry if I lead anyone down a rabbit hole. Not my intention. The interview can be podcast on KFAN outdoors 100.3 todays date.

T

Unas10: "

Pinetree: "Very simple... if you want to go to their country, get vaccinated. So simple."

Or, if Canada wants the business revenue..."

If you're a Canadian traveling to the USA you must also show proof of vaccination. If traveling to the US by air, non-US citizens must also show a recent negative rapid test.

Both countries are behind the curve in my opinion. Vaccinated or not, everyone's getting it eventually regardless of their vaccine status or the status of the person they caught it from. That's why so many other countries have ditched the requirement.

Pinetree: "Very simple... if you want to go to their country, get vaccinated. So simple."

No worries here they wouldn't let me in anyway even if I was vaccinated .

I have family that lives just across the border who I have not seen in 2 plus years. I would take my snow go or boat to go visit them several times a year. I have had a rabc permit for about 30 years, before that I crossed without a permit. I sure hope Canada gets this figured out.

On the other hand, I give Canada credit for caring about the welfare of its people and controlling their border unlike the US.

I hope to entr CN this summer.
My buddy and I have been planning a Wab trip for 4 years.
2018, my F-I-L got sick and I had to help care for him.
2019, my buddy lost his job and was looking for a new one.
Last two years, well,....

My immediate and my extended family are a mixture of vaccinated and unvaccinated. Most of us have contracted Covid and recovered, and therefore the vaccination and boosters did not work. As far as the severity of symptoms, some of us who were unvaccinated had mild symptoms while those that were fully vaccinated had severe symptoms, and some who were vaccinated had mild symptoms while some of us unvaccinated had severe symptoms. In other words, there is no evidence whatsoever the vaccine prevented the virus or resulted in more mild symptoms. The same stories extend to my circle of friends and co-workers. My wife was an urgent care registered nurse who was on the front lines of this pandemic. She reports family members coming in sick from the same household on numerous occasions, with some vaccinated in the house while others in the same house were unvaccinated, and the symptoms were all over the place, regardless of the vaccination status. Although described by the experts as “anecdotal evidence”, I have known numerous healthy family and friends who mysteriously developed health problems after receiving the vaccine or boosters such as strokes, heart issues, and in one case, a totally random brain bleed. If it weren’t for the politics and money behind the vaccine, I think an argument could be made the vaccine has done more harm than good. Every day we hear of more politicians, actors and actresses, professional athletes, and famous people or groups of people who contract the virus regardless of being fully vaccinated. There is absolutely no way I will ever believe this vaccine works…at all. Countries who just keep rolling with these restrictions against the unvaccinated just aren’t doing anybody any favors, no matter what they say.

I will stay in the USA forever then, because I will never be vaccinated.
I used to go to Canada 2 to 3x per year.
Mexico or Caribbean at least a dozen times.
No more, because of regulatory CONTROL.
Can't control our borders, but I am not free to travel.
Makes ZERO sense. All political.
End if rant
SunCatcher

Sooo…getting back to reality anyone have useful info on crossing the border?

T

timatkn: "Sooo…getting back to reality anyone have useful info on crossing the border?


T"

I set up my ArriveCan account today. Surprisingly quick and easy to do, including scanning/uploading passport and vaccination card.

Excited, but need some ice to melt - we are going the week before Memorial Day.

timatkn: "Sooo…getting back to reality anyone have useful info on crossing the border?


T"

Thank you I think a couple of posts were going up a creek without a paddle, to say the least.

It’s not surprising you guys so quickly discount real life accounts of the futility of the vaccine. Critical thinking is lacking in our society these days. It didn’t make national news like the health care professionals in Texas, but a major healthcare provider in Wisconsin lost hundreds of medical staff when they mandated the vaccine, some of whom left for other jobs before the deadline, some who retired to avoid the vaccine, and some who got walked out. Many others were opposed to the vaccine but they were between a rock and a hard place with high student loans and/or being the insurance provider for their families. This played out all across the country.

That’s reality. I don’t need to get back to reality. Don’t any of you even ask why so many health care workers avoided the vaccine? They know the science as good as most and also witnessed the adverse reactions to the vaccine from all the people seeking treatment for various illnesses after obtaining it. I know this not only because my wife was an urgent care RN, but because I have an occupation where I’m in two different hospital emergency rooms all the time listening to nurses chit chat.

What is your evidence that the vaccine works, and does not produce side effects?

The point being Canada isn’t doing the outfitters any favors, as they are undoubtedly losing money when it doesn’t have to be this way.

thinblueline: "...Critical thinking is lacking ..."

does anyone know if you can use the canadian portage to cross lower basswood falls if you are going into crooked from the horse river? I think it was technically illegal two years ago, not sure if anything has changed?

if it is still illegal, is the only way to cross lower basswood falls to use the trail that goes by campsite 1548?

jwmiller39: "does anyone know if you can use the canadian portage to cross lower basswood falls if you are going into crooked from the horse river? I think it was technically illegal two years ago, not sure if anything has changed?


if it is still illegal, is the only way to cross lower basswood falls to use the trail that goes by campsite 1548?"

jwmiller39,
I've used the Canadian side portage during the pandemic and understood that border entry restrictions did not affect or suspend the Webster-Ashburton Treaty provision about using portages. I believe that you can use any border portage on either side and that you could legally do that over the past two years.

KawnipiKid:

jwmiller39,
I've used the Canadian side portage during the pandemic and understood that border entry restrictions did not affect or suspend the Webster-Ashburton Treaty provision about using portages. I believe that you can use any border portage on either side and that you could legally do that over the past two years. "

Interesting. Good to know. Two years ago when we went to Crooked, Adam at Piragis told us the canadian portage was closed and our only "legal" option was going through the trail by the campsite.

KawnipiKid: "

jwmiller39: "does anyone know if you can use the canadian portage to cross lower basswood falls if you are going into crooked from the horse river? I think it was technically illegal two years ago, not sure if anything has changed?



if it is still illegal, is the only way to cross lower basswood falls to use the trail that goes by campsite 1548?"

jwmiller39,
I've used the Canadian side portage during the pandemic and understood that border entry restrictions did not affect or suspend the Webster-Ashburton Treaty provision about using portages. I believe that you can use any border portage on either side and that you could legally do that over the past two years. "

Correct. Nothing about use of these shared portages allowed by Webster-Ashburton was changed by the pandemic except folks' confusion about it.

bobbernumber3: "

thinblueline: "...Critical thinking is lacking ..."

"

Pro-level irony right there!

Thinblueline... Nothing I can say will sway you. BUT there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING you described as critical thinking in your first post. It was a complete rambling of opinion and conjecture obviously laced with personal bias. Your second post has actual lies in it or shows complete ignorance. "Don’t any of you even ask why so many health care workers avoided the vaccine?" In the US, 99% of MDs are vaccinated and 90% of nurses. 78% of all "health care workers" are vaccinated---that 78% includes receptionists, aids, CNAs, janitors... Last time I checked I get my medical advice from the MD I see not the Janitor or receptionist. Nothing wrong with those careers but they aren't qualified to offer medical advice. Even if you quote the 78% number that means ONLY 22% chose to not get vaccinated? Hardly an endorsement for not getting vaccinated. Unless you don't understand how numbers work :) Before you spout gibberish like this try to understand the real stats first. You won't look so foolish. "Don't any of you ask yourselves how you can follow the advice of 1% of a profession?" What would think of your neighbor if 99 roofers told him to fix his roof a certain way but he went with the 1 guy who said something different? I know what I'd call him :) That's your version of critical thinking? sheesh...

At this point in the game the lines are drawn...no one is going to change your opinion and you aren't going to change anyone's either. You made your decision...good for you. I don't care about your decision. Stop being a snowflake, live with your decision, move on.

This thread is about entering Canada. Do you have any relevant information to help others or just more opinion and ramblings to waste yours and our time?

I don’t appreciate being called a liar. Do a search. Advocate Aurora terminated over 400 employees for not being vaccinated by the deadline. That doesn’t count the staff who left voluntarily before the deadline because they knew they weren’t going to get it. So you labeled my post full of lies when what I posted was true. Do another search and you can find the number of terminated healthcare workers for different places around the country. Again, many people left the profession ahead of time and are not counted as a terminated employee. I know a few of these gals who left for other jobs.

I’m not going to argue with your stats because that’s a fool’s errand as we know stats are manipulated like crazy.

I don’t understand why so many people have put their faith in this vaccine. You can’t argue it prevents the virus because that narrative gets blown up daily on the television, and in real world reports from health care workers. Your precious vaccine does nothing except inside your head.

timatkn: "Thinblueline... Nothing I can say will sway you. BUT there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING you described as critical thinking in your first post. It was a complete rambling of opinion and conjecture obviously laced with personal bias. Your second post has actual lies in it or shows complete ignorance.

At this point in the game the lines are drawn...no one is going to change your opinion and you aren't going to change anyone's either. You made your decision...good for you. I don't care about your decision. Stop being a snowflake, live with your decision, move on.

This thread is about entering Canada. Do you have any relevant information to help others or just more opinion and ramblings to waste yours and our time? "

Maybe one should look in the mirror. Your name calling and your opinions are shameful, it speaks volumes about the type of person you are!!

Our VP said 'If Donald Trump Tells Us To Take It, I’m Not Taking It.'

To quote Fauci on the number of cdc members with the jab. " I think it’s probably a little bit more than half, probably around 60 percent”.

100,000 overdoses for Joe and his VP last year from fentanyl coming across our southern border. Maybe we should worry about our own borders instead of every other country the we want a regime change in.

The left made this whole covid thing political and it is tearing our country apart.
The jab doesn't work as advertised...everyone I know with covid has been vaccinated. My nephew 3 shots and covid 3 times.

timatkn: "Thinblueline... Nothing I can say will sway you. BUT there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING you described as critical thinking in your first post. It was a complete rambling of opinion and conjecture obviously laced with personal bias. Your second post has actual lies in it or shows complete ignorance. "Don’t any of you even ask why so many health care workers avoided the vaccine?" In the US, 99% of MDs are vaccinated and 90% of nurses. 78% of all "health care workers" are vaccinated---that 78% includes receptionists, aids, CNAs, janitors... Last time I checked I get my medical advice from the MD I see not the Janitor or receptionist. Nothing wrong with those careers but they aren't qualified to offer medical advice. Even if you quote the 78% number that means ONLY 22% chose to not get vaccinated? Hardly an endorsement for not getting vaccinated. Unless you don't understand how numbers work :) Before you spout gibberish like this try to understand the real stats first. You won't look so foolish. "Don't any of you ask yourselves how you can follow the advice of 1% of a profession?" What would think of your neighbor if 99 roofers told him to fix his roof a certain way but he went with the 1 guy who said something different? I know what I'd call him :) That's your version of critical thinking? sheesh...

At this point in the game the lines are drawn...no one is going to change your opinion and you aren't going to change anyone's either. You made your decision...good for you. I don't care about your decision. Stop being a snowflake, live with your decision, move on.

This thread is about entering Canada. Do you have any relevant information to help others or just more opinion and ramblings to waste yours and our time? "

Well, at least you tried. I just wish legitimate threads weren't removed because of this antivax nonsense. Can the moderators just delete posts that are not relevant? (and yes, that includes this one).

The thread is about Canada relaxing vaccine related entry requirements and my point is they can relax their entry rules altogether and put an end to the hurt they’ve done to the outfitters while again taking in money from us shameful unvaccinated who are still willing to give it to them….I think that’s related. Clearly it isn’t the opinion you folks want to hear but it is related.

Tried or took the bait. Close the thread

thinblueline: " Do a search. Advocate Aurora terminated over 400 employees for not being vaccinated by the deadline.

In total, about 440 team members, representing 0.6% of Advocate Aurora's workforce, "were not in compliance and have parted ways with the organization," the group said in a statement.
"With about 99% of our team members compliant or in the process of becoming compliant with our vaccine policy, we are protecting the health and safety of our patients, communities and each other," the statement read.
The group noted that about half of the 440 employees were not full-time employees and were scheduled on an "as-needed basis."
Source

thinblueline:"
I don’t understand why so many people have put their faith in this vaccine. You can’t argue it prevents the virus because that narrative gets blown up daily on the television, and in real world reports from health care workers. Your precious vaccine does nothing except inside your head. "

Fox News-Why Vaccinated People Getting Covid19?

I’m optimistic that the RABC will be reinstated this year but I don’t think it will occur this spring. I was planning a trip to the Northern Q long before we found out that the southern Q wan’t going to be accessible this spring. I think the northern entries will be ‘busy’ this year compared to some other years.

If we could just get some warm weather!! Lows well below freezing up there for at least the next week or more. No spring in sight except the robins in my back yard.

Tom

tumblehome: "I’m optimistic that the RABC will be reinstated this year but I don’t think it will occur this spring. I was planning a trip to the Northern Q long before we found out that the southern Q wan’t going to be accessible this spring. I think the northern entries will be ‘busy’ this year compared to some other years.


If we could just get some warm weather!! Lows well below freezing up there for at least the next week or more. No spring in sight except the robins in my back yard.


Tom"

Sounds as right now the RABC will not be issued at least this spring-early summer.

billconner: "Tried or took the bait. Close the thread "

.
You know, Bill, it was my thread to begin with, and it bothers me when people get so far off course of the subject. It would just be more appropriate to eliminate certain comments.

No problem veering off course to widen the subject content, but please stay on the road.

Fly in fishing has takin a hard hit. 2 years of no fishing. As of now all air travel crossing the border has to clear customs at an international airport in Canada. Hard for float plane to do and these airports are far and few between.

In the past you could fly in and out of Ely and clear customs on Shagawa. As of now there are no Candian Outfitters flying out of Ely.

Pinetree: "

tumblehome: "I’m optimistic that the RABC will be reinstated this year but I don’t think it will occur this spring. I was planning a trip to the Northern Q long before we found out that the southern Q wan’t going to be accessible this spring. I think the northern entries will be ‘busy’ this year compared to some other years.

If we could just get some warm weather!! Lows well below freezing up there for at least the next week or more. No spring in sight except the robins in my back yard.

Tom"

Sounds as right now the RABC will not be issued at least this spring-early summer."

I really hope that RABC gets reinstated. I don't have any time until September, so it would be nice to have it by then.

Pinetree: "

billconner: "Tried or took the bait. Close the thread "

.
You know Bill it was my thread, to begin with, and it bothers me when people get so far off course of the subject. It would just be more appropriate to eliminate certain comments.

No problem veering off course to widen the subject content, but please stay on the road. "

When you start a thread on the internet, it will naturally branch off into different directions and/or different opinions. You say certain comments should be removed? So that’s what this website is going to become? A place where opinions which oppose the majority are going to be removed?

I didn’t call any particular person an insulting name, and yet I was directly accused of being a liar and a snowflake. If any replies are going to be removed, it should be those comments where one specific poster takes a direct shot at another specific poster with names or accusations. Just to offer opinions contrary to the spirit of the apparent majority of this website and have those opinions removed is not a good look for the website.

Sorry Pinetree…I accept responsibility for my part in this. I should of just kept my mouth shut. No one’s opinion is going to change on this from a message on the internet. It’s just I have to hear these lies all day and keep my mouth shut and just nod and be nice, give food care…then I come on to here to relax and it starts up again…it’s going on 2 years of listening to this gibberish and its wearing thin.

I don’t care if you are vaccinated or not. Heck I even posted in this thread that the unvaccinated may have an avenue to enter Canada to try to help…

T

timatkn: "Sorry Pinetree…I accept responsibility for my part in this. I should have just kept my mouth shut. No one’s opinion is going to change on this from a message on the internet. It’s just I have to hear these lies all day and keep my mouth shut and just nod and be nice, give food care…then I come on here to relax and it starts up again…


T



"

No not at all I agree with you 100% and I am glad you spoke up. The truth counts. It's hard not to reply-I agree with your facts 100% and statement. I was going to add something along the same line. But held off hoping we would move on.

It just seemed some statements were more political than had to be and got away from the topic of border crossing.
Like Facebook, out in the public, even friends were getting so divided like I had never seen in my life.

Minnesotian: "

thinblueline: " Do a search. Advocate Aurora terminated over 400 employees for not being vaccinated by the deadline.

In total, about 440 team members, representing 0.6% of Advocate Aurora's workforce, "were not in compliance and have parted ways with the organization," the group said in a statement.
"With about 99% of our team members compliant or in the process of becoming compliant with our vaccine policy, we are protecting the health and safety of our patients, communities and each other," the statement read.
The group noted that about half of the 440 employees were not full-time employees and were scheduled on an "as-needed basis."
Source

thinblueline:"
I don’t understand why so many people have put their faith in this vaccine. You can’t argue it prevents the virus because that narrative gets blown up daily on the television, and in real world reports from health care workers. Your precious vaccine does nothing except inside your head. "

Fox News-Why Vaccinated People Getting Covid19?


Those 400 plus were the ones who did not comply by the deadline. Their numbers don’t take into account the staff who resigned before the deadline. In just one clinic where my wife worked, they lost three of seven registered nurses who would not get vaccinated. That played out in more than one place so those numbers are misleading.

"

timatkn: "Sorry Pinetree…I accept responsibility for my part in this. I should of just kept my mouth shut. No one’s opinion is going to change on this from a message on the internet. It’s just I have to hear these lies all day and keep my mouth shut and just nod and be nice, give food care…then I come on to here to relax and it starts up again…


T



"

There you go with the lies theme again. You seem to be a guy who likes to call people names. I’ll take the high road.

Edited…:)

Deleted post

thinblueline: "There you go..."

time to give it up, tbl

Edited and deleted.

Pine tree did you lose any trees last night? Oh man that was some wind. I lost a big spruce next to the garage.

From Tumblehomes post it seems like I missed a show? Just glad I wasn’t part of it for once:) nothing shows up deleted for me.

My guess is next year the RABC will be reinstated. I would guess the vaccine requirement will be removed in 2023 or 2024. That’s a complete guess based on the Canadian’s current approach and looking at timelines for previous pandemics.

I also guessed that by the fall of 2020, and then again the fall of 2021 we would be back to “normal” :)


T

Nope. I posted info on the wrong thread. I put on a recipe for trout by accident . Deleted it and fixed it, that's all.