British Columbia Floods: Border Officials May Consider Exemptions to COVID-19 Rules on a Case-by-Case basis | The Canadian News

British Columbia residents in flood-affected parts of the province may be allowed to cross into the US and return for emergency purposes without a COVID-19 vaccine, PCR test, or even a passport in extreme cases. , Global News has learned.

The Canada Border Services Agency was working with the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to allow residents of disaster areas to access the US For emergency reasons, case by case, says an official from the office of the Minister of Public Security, Marco Mendicino.

The official stressed that the waivers should not be seen as blanket permission for British Columbia residents to head south for routine purchases, and there is no guarantee that US officials will allow a person to cross in any particular instance.

Canada’s current border regulations, which require vaccination to cross into the US and a valid PCR test upon return, remain in effect. But CBSA officials in BC have been instructed to apply exceptions for residents affected by the disaster.

2:32BC Floods: Abbotsford Partially Opens Gates to Release Water

Canada does not have jurisdiction over US CBP officers, but US officials are aware of the situation in British Columbia, and officers may allow unvaccinated residents to cross for essential reasons, said the official.

Such exceptional reasons could include the need to travel across the US to avoid Canadian road closures, or the need to purchase essential supplies like gasoline or food that are not available in British Columbia.

While a passport is generally required to cross into the US, the official said the US may be prepared to consider alternative forms of identification for British Columbia residents who need to cross the border for emergency reasons.

On Saturday, British Columbia Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said he was in contact with the federal government about the possibility of relaxing the requirements of the PCR test at the Canadian border, before November 30.

That is the current date for Canada to remove the requirement that people visiting the US for a period of less than 72 hours show a negative test upon return to Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with the Incident Response Cabinet Group on Sunday for an update on the situation in British Columbia.

British Columbia has opened two highway routes between the Lower Continent and the rest of the province. All major routes between the populous urban center and the interior were cut off by multiple landslides caused by heavy rains last weekend.

1:55British Columbia Floods: Death Toll Rises from Highway 99 Landslide

At least four people have been confirmed dead and major flooding continues to affect several communities.

The Canadian Armed Forces have been deployed to BC, and a Royal Canadian Air Force CC-177 Globemaster arrived in the province on Saturday, delivering three CH-146 Griffon helicopters from the 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron to assist.