Random COVID-19 testing resumes today at Pearson Airport in Mississauga
Published July 19, 2022 at 10:23 am
Mandatory random COVID-19 testing resumes today (July 19) for travellers coming into Canada through Pearson Airport in Mississauga and three of the country’s other major airports.
However, the actual tests will be done off-site from Pearson and airports in Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary in efforts to keep a lid on lengthy waits and other issues that have plagued airports everywhere–particularly Pearson–the past several months.
The tests will be completed via either an in-person appointment or a virtual appointment for a swab test, according to federal transportation ministry officials.
Ottawa paused the random testing of vaccinated travellers entering Canada by air in June as it worked to move the actual testing process to locations away from airports.
At the time, the federal government faced mounting criticism from tourism and air travel industry groups that believed public health restrictions were to blame for the chaos at Pearson and other Canadian airports.
The situation at Pearson and airports across Canada–and North America for that matter–has remained chaotic since testing was put on hold.
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Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, also MP for Mississauga Centre, said last Friday that the resumption of testing will be seamless and will not add to passenger gridlock at Pearson.
“These measures are helpful and necessary to protect lives…but we want to do it in a way that does not add further congestion to the airport,” he said. “It’s an improved process.”
Mandatory random testing of travellers arriving at Pearson begins again as fears of rising COVID-19 cases return.
Canada’s deputy chief public health officer, Dr. Howard Njoo, has previously said testing is an important part of Canada’s strategy to detect new variants coming into the country.
Unvaccinated people as well as those who are fully or partially vaccinated are subject to the random tests.
Pearson and other airports across Canada and North America have faced challenges the past few months as they deal with ongoing problems getting people through the air travel hubs in timely fashion.
Staff shortages combined with unexpectedly large numbers of people returning to air travel after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted earlier this year have overwhelmed airports.
A couple of weeks ago, both Air Canada and Pearson Airport ranked close to or at the top of lists of most flight delays anywhere in the world. Air Canada was first among carriers while Pearson was second on the airports list.
–with files from The Canadian Press
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