Haines is 39 miles south of the Canadian Border (Henry Leasia/KHNS)

Canada announced pre-entry COVID testing will no longer be required for fully vaccinated travelers starting on April 1.

Currently, travelers entering or returning to Canada must have a negative COVID test, either a PCR or rapid antigen test, that’s clinically administered. That changes April 1st. Canadian officials announced pre-entry COVID testing will no longer be required for fully vaccinated travelers entering Canada by land, water or air.

Haines Tourism Director Steven Auch says its a major change that will ease travel across the border. 

“That’s good news, because it will make it easier for people that want to know either people here that want to go into Canada or Canadians who want to come down and return, it makes it easier for them to be able to do so,” Auch said.

Travelers are still required to be fully vaccinated. Auch says that means two doses of the COVID vaccine, not necessarily the booster.

“So Canada, according to their entry description does not require the booster. But the description of fully vaccinated is the two shots, so any of the approved two shot regiments. So you’d want to double check on their website, depending on the shot that you had to verify that you need their fully vaccinated description,” he said.

Canada will still require US travelers to complete the ArriveCAN process, and show proof of vaccination to enter the country.

Auch says Haines is ready to welcome Canadian travelers, and anyone traveling between the Alaska Marine Highway into Canada and up to Alaska.

“Yeah we certainly hope it means that we’re going to see a lot of our friends come down that have been hesitant to do so, due to the testing requirements. So hopefully, we’ll see more people come down,” Auch said. “And the big part for the summer too, is that it makes it a lot easier for anybody, not just Canadians, but anybody wanting to do any road travel, to be able to drive through Canada to get here. So it’s a big thing for the state of Alaska, as much as it is for those residents of Canada.”

For Skagway, fully vaccinated travelers will be allowed to enter Canada, but questions remain as to how tour companies will handle the continued requirement of a fully filled out ArriveCan app.