COVID test confusion at border leaves Canadian family stuck in Michigan

Windsor, Ont. -

The Wright family of Sarnia, Ont. is packing up.

They just don’t know when they’ll be able to leave their Michigan hotel.

“The Canadian border at the Bluewater Bridge wouldn’t let us into Canada yesterday,” Amanda Wright told CTV News.

Wright said they arrived at the border, with the ArriveCan app filled out, four negative PCR tests and proof of full vaccination.

“They wouldn’t accept the negative PCR test from Mexico for all of us because we were supposed to apparently have it from the United States,” she said.

Wright said the family wasn’t given the opportunity to go home and quarantine.

“It was either pay a $10,000 fine or go back to the United States, that was the only option we were given,” she said.

So they went searching for a rapid PCR test, but couldn’t find any.

“I was told there was a shortage in the United States and there are none to be had, and we had to have another PCR test that will take another 24 to 48 hours to process,” Wright said.

Fuelling their frustration is their friends, who went on the same vacation were allowed to cross and go home, no problem.

“An hour before us, to the bridge, same PCR test from Mexico with him and his son, they go through and they let them into Canada,” Wright said.

A situation made worse, according to travel expert Martin Firestone, when the Canadian government characterized travel as both risky and unstable.

Firestone said there is a tremendous amount of confusion, and many people are cancelling trips because they don’t know if they will have to isolate, or if they will be able to return to work or school when they get back home.