Some COVID-19 travel rules waived for Canadians stranded by B.C. floods

VANCOUVER -

Some COVID-19 border rules will be waived to help Canadians stranded by flooding in B.C. get home.

The Canada Border Services Agency confirmed to CTV News that those who can't access the rest of the country through highways currently closed without an estimated time of reopening will be able to bypass some of the steps typically required to re-enter Canada after crossing the U.S. border.

Specifically, they're exempt from the COVID-19 pre-arrival test, the test in Canada and quarantine requirements.

A spokesperson said exemptions for people arriving by land in Canada who needed to enter the U.S. due to geographical constraints were already built into the travel orders. Those exemptions now apply to those impacted by the B.C. storm.

"There are many factors that come into play when a CBSA border services officer is determining which instructions are provided to a traveller with regards to their public health obligations," a spokesperson said in an email.

"CBSA officers use all of the information available to them when a traveller is seeking entry into Canada to determine which set of instructions apply to the traveller."

Two days of unrelenting rain brought rivers of mud and rock down on major B.C. highways, blocking paths into and out of B.C.

The closures mean there is no way by car out of the Lower Mainland, the province's most populated area, without crossing the border into the U.S.

B.C. officials said Tuesday that opening the routes through the province is its top priority, but that it's unclear how long that will take, as the damage is extensive.

As with all international travel, those crossing the border are still required to have their official documents. At least one person told CTV News that some were being permitted across with photos of their passport, but this information has not been confirmed by CBSA or U.S. customs officials.