COVID-19 Testing Locations and Prices in Canada

[Kamloops50]

There are about three or four companies doing PCR and Antigen Tests. Lifelabs is the biggest they have about four or five outlets in the Vancouver Area for PCR and Antigen. They also do Antigen test at Vancouver International.

Cost for PCR is about $200 incl tax (24 to 36 hour reports)

            Antigen is about $100 incl tax ( 15 to 60 minute report )

 

Don't currently have the names or prices for the other companies.

[muffin]

Thank you. Don’t know why I couldn’t find it.  Pretty sad cost in Ontario is 40 and cost in bc is 199  where somehow life labs has a monopoly.  Ever thus! 

[Dar28]

35 minutes ago, muffin said:

Thank you. Don’t know why I couldn’t find it.  Pretty sad cost in Ontario is 40 and cost in bc is 199  where somehow life labs has a monopoly.  Ever thus! 

 

Yes, that’s too bad! Wouldn’t it be more convenient just to book an appointment  at our local LifeLab where we get our blood work done.? 

 

 

[Ginnyfyr]

Just found out about this place - apparently they are the cheapest in all of Ontario! $100 plus tax for PCR, $40 for antigen. http://www.medionerx.com/covid-19testinglocations/ 

[K_e_short]

28 minutes ago, Ginnyfyr said:

Just found out about this place - apparently they are the cheapest in all of Ontario! $100 plus tax for PCR, $40 for antigen. http://www.medionerx.com/covid-19testinglocations/ 

 

That is awesome news.

 

[Reenie75]

Might seem silly to ask. It is the Border that is requiring this or the ships? I'm doing a back to back cruise flying out of Toronto to Miami in March. What tests do I need to do or where can I find information? 

[Ginnyfyr]

19 minutes ago, Reenie75 said:

Might seem silly to ask. It is the Border that is requiring this or the ships? I'm doing a back to back cruise flying out of Toronto to Miami in March. What tests do I need to do or where can I find information? 

It's a CDC requirement. Currently you need a negative antigen test to enter the US and Princess requires a negative PCR or antigen test. Antigen is cheaper. 

[ilovetotravel1977]

32 minutes ago, Reenie75 said:

Might seem silly to ask. It is the Border that is requiring this or the ships? I'm doing a back to back cruise flying out of Toronto to Miami in March. What tests do I need to do or where can I find information? 

By the time March rolls around, the protocols will have changed a zillion times.

 

Go to your cruise line’s website and check their protocols page.

 

[willing292]

4 hours ago, ilovetotravel1977 said:

By the time March rolls around, the protocols will have changed a zillion times.

 

Go to your cruise line’s website and check their protocols page.

 

And right now, you need a test to re-enter Canada.  So, 3 tests total.  

[ilovetotravel1977]

16 minutes ago, willing292 said:

And right now, you need a test to re-enter Canada.  So, 3 tests total.  

You technically only need two, Assuming you are not spending extra time at the port city before the cruise. Take an antigen test the day prior to flying and that is your cruise test too. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Go to shoppers tell you need it to go into a nursing home , than it is free 

I know one person who did that to fly to Fort Myers 

[broberts]

3 hours ago, Airbalancer said:

Go to shoppers tell you need it to go into a nursing home , than it is free 

I know one person who did that to fly to Fort Myers 

 

Nice ethics 🙄

[LouCoop]

On 9/5/2021 at 11:19 AM, cruzincanuck said:

Here is what I have gathered so far for Montreal and surrounding areas for Antigen Covid test:

 

Covid-19 PCR Covid Testing Travel - Montreal (santemedic.ca)   $150.00

 

Rapid Antigenic COVID-19 Test - Book an Appointment Now (cliniquevoyageur.ca) $149.00

 

COVID-19 screening for departures at YUL airport | Laboratory, radiology, sleep and genetic | Biron  $149.00 last minute  (25 min)  or 24 hrs results $99.00

 

COVID Testing in Montreal | Go Test Rapide  Drive thru from $75.00.  At home (mobile service): $ 150.00

 

None of the pharmacies seen to be offering the testing

Thank you for info. 

[K_e_short]

21 hours ago, broberts said:

 

Nice ethics 🙄

 You should see all the Americans annoyed that they can't get a free antigen test or that their insurance won't cover the test.

 

[nbsjcruiser]

On 9/8/2021 at 10:52 AM, 3Shelaghs said:

I am now convinced, these Covid tests are what is going to refill the government coffers for all the CERB paid out!! These prices are ridiculous, surely the Cdn govt has shares or owns these labs and kits.

Oh baby  - wait until the airlines get into the game. 

 

Here's a list of current "fees" I recently made note of on a flight I was pricing to FLL from NB

Passenger Civil Aviation Security Service Fee $7.11

Air Travellers Security Charge (ATSC)$24.21

Airport Improvement Fee (AIF)$85.00

APHIS User Fee - Passengers United States of America$5.03

Passenger Service Charge United States of America$5.71

Immigration User Fee United States of America$8.89

Customs User Fee United States of America$7.61

 

Coming to an Airport near you - as soon as people start travelling in pre-pandemic rates:

Antigen Test: $149

Covid Fee $25 

Airplane cleaning Fee $20 

Airport Disinfection Fee $30

Passenger Safety and  Enhancement  Fee - $10

Hepa Filter Rejuvenation Fee - $15

Mask Fee - $5

Airplane Seat disinfecting fee - $9

 

Of course I'm playing it for theatrics up but in all seriousness, how long before a Covid Cleaning Fee shows up on your ticket price? 

Edited September 14, 2021 by nbsjcruiser

[nbsjcruiser]

On 9/11/2021 at 8:26 PM, willing292 said:

And right now, you need a test to re-enter Canada.  So, 3 tests total.  

The test to re-enter Canada gets me angry every time I think of it. Wouldn't it have been great if the Feds had followed their own committee's recommendation? They recommended that if you were vaccinated that no test should be asked - only random spot checks at the border paid for by the government. Unvaccinated Canadians and vaccinated Canadians are in the same boat now. We are all treated identically at the border. Its one way they could have encouraged more people to get vaccinated. Dont want to have to pay for a PCR test? Get vaccinated. 

 

The other thing that gets me is this stupid ArriveCan nonsense. The country cant keep me out so why bother with that nonsense? Sure, you want to hit foreign travellers, it makes sense. That way you can keep people out from countries like India for example where covid is at high levels and vaccination rates are low. But if I tell them I spent a week in Bangalore, wandering the streets the government still will do nothing differently with me than if I had returned from New York state. They'll insist on a PCR test and the ArriveCan garbage.

[Fouremco]

2 hours ago, nbsjcruiser said:

The test to re-enter Canada gets me angry every time I think of it. Wouldn't it have been great if the Feds had followed their own committee's recommendation? They recommended that if you were vaccinated that no test should be asked - only random spot checks at the border paid for by the government. Unvaccinated Canadians and vaccinated Canadians are in the same boat now. We are all treated identically at the border. Its one way they could have encouraged more people to get vaccinated. Dont want to have to pay for a PCR test? Get vaccinated. 

 

The other thing that gets me is this stupid ArriveCan nonsense. The country cant keep me out so why bother with that nonsense? Sure, you want to hit foreign travellers, it makes sense. That way you can keep people out from countries like India for example where covid is at high levels and vaccination rates are low. But if I tell them I spent a week in Bangalore, wandering the streets the government still will do nothing differently with me than if I had returned from New York state. They'll insist on a PCR test and the ArriveCan garbage.

Yes, it's shocking that the government should try to protect us from our fellow Canadians who may have been vaccinated but might also be infectious and bring back the highly transmittable disease variants to their families, friends and others in their communities. And, really, why not just foreigners from hotspots like India? After all, there's no need to worry about snowbirds or cruisers who spend leisure time in such wonderfully COVID-free destinations as Florida, totally ignoring the government's travel advisories.

 

 

[nbsjcruiser]

17 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Yes, it's shocking that the government should try to protect us from our fellow Canadians who may have been vaccinated but might also be infectious and bring back the highly transmittable disease variants to their families, friends and others in their communities. And, really, why not just foreigners from hotspots like India? After all, there's no need to worry about snowbirds or cruisers who spend leisure time in such wonderfully COVID-free destinations as Florida, totally ignoring the government's travel advisories.

 

 

We have our own hotspots - Little Texas (Alberta) springs to mind. And to be clear, the PCR Test for re-entry is a Political decision not one based on any science.  Trudeau's own scientific commission that he set up to study how to manage the border in a post-vaccination world recommended that there was no need to do 100% PCR tests at the border unless the returning Canadian was unvaccinated. They recommended spot antigen tests for vaccinated Canadians. 

 

An no, I'm not a Trudeau basher, I just disagree with politicians overruling the opinion of the very scientists they asked to study the issue. We all know why he put the PCR test bs in place - to exert maximum control to prepare for his election that we all knew was coming. 

[Fouremco]

22 minutes ago, nbsjcruiser said:

We have our own hotspots - Little Texas (Alberta) springs to mind. And to be clear, the PCR Test for re-entry is a Political decision not one based on any science.  Trudeau's own scientific commission that he set up to study how to manage the border in a post-vaccination world recommended that there was no need to do 100% PCR tests at the border unless the returning Canadian was unvaccinated. They recommended spot antigen tests for vaccinated Canadians. 

 

An no, I'm not a Trudeau basher, I just disagree with politicians overruling the opinion of the very scientists they asked to study the issue. We all know why he put the PCR test bs in place - to exert maximum control to prepare for his election that we all knew was coming. 

The PRC diagnostic test is considered the most sensitive for detecting an active infection, and the results are highly accurate. This is likely why the responsible department decided to opt for the PCR test over the quicker but less accurate antigen test which is more likely to miss active infection.

 

Having lived in Ottawa most of my life and having worked in the federal government for some 37 years, I'd be very much surprised if the decision to use one test over another would ever be made by politicians. While cabinet might be expected to consider the overall issue of reentry to Canada as part the general strategy governing all Covid-related border policies, such minutiae as what test to take or how many hours before reentry is not going to be discussed at that level.

[broberts]

7 hours ago, nbsjcruiser said:

The test to re-enter Canada gets me angry every time I think of it. Wouldn't it have been great if the Feds had followed their own committee's recommendation? They recommended that if you were vaccinated that no test should be asked - only random spot checks at the border paid for by the government. Unvaccinated Canadians and vaccinated Canadians are in the same boat now. We are all treated identically at the border. Its one way they could have encouraged more people to get vaccinated. Dont want to have to pay for a PCR test? Get vaccinated. 

 

...

 

That particular recommendation predates the data that shows that fully vaccinated people can carry and transmit delta.

 

Leading scientists of the time established that the sun orbited the earth. Should we still accept this as fact despite new data?

[1960Travel]

We are cruising on Celebrity Reflection next Sept 2022 out of Rome..Watching how things evolve for us here in Ontario. but also in Italy...On Celebrity web site says they do test at the port prior to boarding

 

[3bouysandmom]

shoppers drug mart offers the Rapid Antigen test for $40.  This will get you through US customs and is an accepted test for Carnival.  The only clincher is that the cruise line has changed the test time to 48 hrs which puts a long of pressure to get to the port.  But we have figured out a way for this to work.  

 

Coming home to Canada is far more costly.  The rapid PCR tests are available but in the $225 - $250 range.  They are done at the airports, MCO, MIA, BUF ( These I know for certain.)  

 

We are hoping to drive to Orlando Dec.31st for our Jan 2cruise.  If we have the test done on Friday, it will be acceptable for the Sunday check in.  

 

Let's just hope the land border opens up. 

[abby1257]

On 9/4/2021 at 7:27 PM, gubby said:

Thanks for starting this. It is so helpful. A few weeks ago, I tried looking up places in Kingston, but got too frustrated. I will try again tomorrow, and add any I find. Although our next attempt is not until April, it is a TA leaving from FLL.  Will any of these rules still apply? We have mixed doses so need to get answers before final payment.

 Nikki 

Do you mind if I ask which mixed vaccines you have?

 

[gubby]

Both spouse and I have AZ and Pfizer. We are happy to have received them because being healthy and out of an ICU is more important than traveling. However,, the  call of the TravelBug is getting louder every week. Come on, Mr. Ford, let's release the  boosters.

 

[Josie201]

Spotted today - Costco is now doing Covid testing (this is from Nepean, Ontario location)  I'll try to attach the photo - $16.99, Rapid Antigen Test.