Skip to content

Statement

Board of Trade Applauds Ottawa’s Decision to Lift Pre-Arrival COVID-19 Testing Requirements on April 1

Removing this barrier will help re-establish our position as a welcoming place for both business and leisure visitors.

Woman walking with suitcase

TORONTO, March 17, 2022 – Visitors are a massive economic driver in Ontario, where Toronto remains a prime destination for business travellers, international conferences and tourists. This announcement will help our region regain its competitive edge following pandemic-related restrictions, and it will be great news for many businesses across the Toronto-area. Removing this barrier will help re-establish our position as a welcoming place for both business and leisure visitors.  

The Board of Trade has been urging the federal government to take such action since last year. Last week, alongside a coalition of Toronto-based tourism groups, we called on Ottawa to drop border testing requirements for fully-vaccinated travellers no later than April 1.  

With today’s announcement, we are encouraged that Canada is setting the stage for a complete economic recovery, joining jurisdictions like the United Kingdom and Switzerland in removing restrictions that are no longer needed, nor are evidence-based.  

As the Toronto region looks ahead to a more promising future, we’d like to thank the Government of Canada for continuing to work constructively with the business, travel and tourism sectors to ensure they realize a full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

About Toronto Region Board of Trade

The Toronto Region Board of Trade is one of the largest and most influential business chambers in North America and is a catalyst for the region’s economic agenda. We pursue policy change to drive the growth and competitiveness of the Toronto region and facilitate market opportunities with programs, partnerships and connections to help our members succeed – domestically and internationally.

Media Contact

Andrew Perez, Media Relations Manager
647-290-2171
media@bot.com