Im hoping we can keep this thread alive with first hand experiences, so please share. There's going to be a big hangover associated with all of this and only public pressure will bring some sanity and accountability back.
Since July I've crossed several times between CYQT and KCKC. Apart from some initial misinterpretation and short staffing entering the US has been a pleasure. CBP has recognized the crew exemption each time.
Returning to Canada however I've been subjected to some truly outrageous behavior on the part of CBSA officers and to a lesser extent Health Canada officials.
All of it centers around ignorance of the rules, so basically CBSA officers make up their own. The end result is, even though the Order in Council (the prevailing current law)
https://orders-in-council.canada.ca/attachment.php?attach=41037&lang=en
clearly states crew are exempt from testing, CBSA officers have concluded that crew of private light aircraft are not crew.
So I've been flying a little under 100 Nm each way to get a PCR test, the results of which take 2 days to get leaving a seemingly small window of opportunity to travel.
On Saturday I found myself on the phone with a weather briefer, discussin marginal VFR conditions, special VFR to enter YQT airspace etc. And the general lack of vis and ceiling info available along that part of the Lake Superior shoreline.
I fortunatly realized I had a bad case of "get home itus" exacerbated by a call to CBSA wherein the officer voiced concern about my expiring covid test!
I canceled my flight plan after doing a little more research to find the actual law states "a negative result for a COVID-19 molecular test that was performed on a specimen collected no more than 72 hours, ... before the aircraft’s initial scheduled departure time;" yet another example of CBSA ignorance of the rules.
Anyway, its clearly a good idea to file a flight plan with an initial departure time within the 72 hours as this bexomes your "initial scheduled departure time." I waited until Sunday for better weather and (this time) had no problems.
Please keep posting your experiences, and take any opportunity to push for the removal of the PCR test requirement. A rapid test is arguably better risk management anyway cuz who knows what can happen in 72 hours.