Non-essential travellers entering Canada through the land border will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before arrival as of Feb. 15, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday.

The prime minister said border officers can’t legally deny entry to Canadians, but those who show up without proof of a negative test could face fines of up to $3,000.

„What we can do is in cases of no test to show [is] apply a stiff penalty, a fine and demand and ensure a rapid and complete followup to make sure that they are getting tested, that they are being properly quarantined, that they are not putting at risk the safety of other Canadians by returning home without a clear negative test,” Trudeau said.

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said last week there is no exemption yet for Canadians who have already received a vaccine.

„The vaccines we have are very effective for individual protection and that’s what we might expect, but you as an individual do not know whether you are completely protected or not,” she said Friday.

Most of the people who cross into Canada are actually exempt from quarantine, largely because they are considered essential workers.

The Canada Border Services Agency said that between March 31, 2020 and Jan. 24, 2021, close to 8.7 million travellers came to Canada; 74 per cent of them were exempt from the 14-day quarantine measures. The number is even higher at the land border alone: 92 per cent of those crossing the border were exempt during that time period.