Like with Canada opening the border to vaxxed Americans, keeping the testing requirement means effectively this change means a lot less than what people think.
There was the hope in border cities that when we allowed Americans in they would resume day/weekend trips and boost the local economies. But the expense and hassle of the tests proved a real deterrent. I think that will be the case here as well.
Don't get me wrong - this is exciting - but it's not like my sister in Windsor can now just pop over to visit our brother in Detroit for lunch. But what really irks me is those in charge glibly offering the option of "testing in Canada and using the results to return on trips of less than 72 hours".
Lets walk through that process. First, you need a molecular test to return - that means the $140- PCR test, not the cheapo Rapid Antigen you can get here at Shoppers to enter the US by plane. Those PCR results often take 48-72 hours. Which means effectively you either pay for the tests and wait for the results, hoping you get them with enough time left over for a day trip, or take the test, drive into the States without knowing the results, and stay there long enough to get the results, not knowing exactly how long that will take. Huh? How is any of that doable in a way that makes sense for a short trip?
Answer is - it doesn't. The testing in Canada option, unless I'm missing something, is simply not practical. Now maybe if they allowed the Rapid tests, sure.
Only way I can see me driving to see my brother for an afternoon would be to try to find a Walgreens somewhere near his place that offers the NAAT test and hope they have appointments available on a day I want to go. Then drive there first, get the test, go visit, and hope the results come back in an hour or two.
I don't know about anyone else, but that does not sound like a relaxing day to me. As long as the current testing requirements stay in place, the land border opening will only really help longer trips that justify all the hoops.