Calgary Airport's Covid Testing: What You Need To Know

COVID-19 testing is available at the Calgary International Airport, with random testing for inbound travellers resuming in July 2022. Travellers who are selected for random testing will receive an email within 15 minutes of filling out their customs declaration. The tests are conducted off-site at select testing locations or through virtual appointments and self-swab tests. Pharmacies such as Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart, and Costco also offer COVID-19 tests in Calgary.

Covid testing at Calgary Airport is random

About four or five per cent of travellers coming into Canada will be selected for random testing. If you are chosen, you will receive an email within 15 minutes of filling out your customs declaration. The email will contain information about where you can get a test. Tests can be completed in person at select testing provider locations and pharmacies, or virtually through a self-swab test.

If you have a connecting flight, you can continue your journey, but the test must be completed by the end of the next calendar day after arriving in Canada. You do not need to quarantine while waiting for your results, which should arrive within four days. However, if you test positive, you will need to isolate for 10 days, regardless of the province's rules.

If you do not take the test, you could face a fine of up to $5,000, and disobeying instructions upon entering the country is an offence under the Quarantine Act, which could result in a jail sentence of up to six months and a fine of up to $750,000.

Testing is done off-site

If you are selected for a random test, you must get tested by the end of the next calendar day after arriving in Canada. Labs provide home-swab kits, or you can get a test in person. Some labs may refer you to a pharmacy in your area. There is a list of approved locations on the government's website, and you must use the same email address that you used to sign into the ArriveCan app when registering for your test.

Random testing was paused in June 2022 as a temporary measure to coordinate how off-site testing would work and to reduce congestion at airports. The tests are an important part of Canada's strategy to detect new variants of COVID-19 entering the country and act as an "early warning system". The government has issued contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars to companies across the country to administer the program.

Testing is mandatory for vaccinated travellers

If you are selected for mandatory random testing, you will receive an email within 15 minutes of completing your customs declaration. This email will contain information on where you can get tested. You can continue your journey if you have a connecting flight, but the test must be completed by the end of the next calendar day after arriving in Canada.

Labs will provide home-swab kits, or you can get a test in person. Some labs may refer you to a pharmacy in your area. There is a list of approved locations on the government's website, and you must use the same email address you used to sign into the ArriveCan app when registering for your test. This is how the government will receive your results.

You do not need to quarantine while waiting for your results, which should arrive within four days. However, if you test positive, you will need to isolate for 10 days and report your result to the Public Health Agency of Canada. If you need to leave the country before your quarantine period ends, you must obtain permission from a quarantine officer, who will give you a set of rules to follow.

Testing is done at select pharmacies

For those travelling to the United States from Calgary, a negative COVID-19 test is required before boarding. This test can be taken at select pharmacies, with results typically available within a day. It is important to plan accordingly and allow sufficient time for testing and obtaining results.

In addition to pharmacies, random COVID-19 testing for inbound travellers has resumed at the Calgary International Airport and three other Canadian airports. This testing is conducted off-site at select testing locations or through virtual appointments and self-swab tests. Travellers who are selected for random testing will receive an email notification within 15 minutes of completing their customs declaration. It is important to note that this testing only applies to vaccinated travellers, and unvaccinated travellers are still required to quarantine and test during their mandatory two-week isolation period.

Results take up to four days

Results from COVID-19 tests at Calgary Airport can take up to four days to be processed. During this time, individuals who have been randomly selected for testing are not required to quarantine. However, if you test positive, you will need to isolate for 10 days, regardless of the province's rules. This is a federal requirement.

If you are selected for random testing, you will receive an email within 15 minutes of completing your customs declaration. This email will provide information on where to get your test. There are several options for testing, including labs that provide home-swab kits, in-person testing at designated testing locations or pharmacies, and virtual appointments for self-swab tests.

It is important to note that you must use the same email address when registering for your test and signing into the ArriveCAN app, as this is how the government will receive your results. Failure to comply with testing requirements can result in warnings, fines, or even jail time under the Quarantine Act.

The random COVID-19 testing at Calgary Airport is part of the Canadian government's strategy to track and monitor COVID-19 trends and new variants entering the country. The tests act as an "early warning system," according to Chief Public Health Officer Dr Theresa Tam.

Frequently asked questions