Canada/US Border Vaccination

Requirement Ended

COVID vaccination restrictions on travelers -- including truckers -- entering the U.S., ended in mid-May.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced it will be removing border vaccine requirements impacting all non-U.S. citizens entering the country as of May 12.

The DHS said: "As of May 12, 2023, DHS will no longer require non-U.S. travelers entering the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination upon request. DHS intends to rescind these Title 19 travel restrictions in alignment with the end of the Public Health Emergency and the termination of the Presidential Proclamation on air travel."

This is in line with changes to COVID restrictions announced this week by the White House.

The vaccination requirement was a source of contention for Canadian truckers for much of the pandemic.

White House Administration said, "The Administration ended the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for Federal employees, Federal contractors, and international air travelers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the COVID-19 public health emergency ends. Additionally, HHS and DHS announced today that they will start the process to end their vaccination requirements for Head Start educators, CMS-certified healthcare facilities, and certain noncitizens at the land border."

Itried repeatedly to to book a table at Cioppino’s on Open Table online. Any date I tried; it showed no tables available within 2.5 hours. I emailed and received a response from the owner saying to call in. I called the next day and was told there were no spots available on a Saturday for the next four months. I agreed to the spot in four months time. The day finally came and my friend who was going with me wasn’t feeling his best but knowing it would take another four months to get table, he toughed it out and we went for dinner.

I lived a block away from the restaurant years ago. I would walk in and had no issue getting a table. When I had gone in the past, I would see various Canucks players and often see Roberto Luongo stopping in for take out. Now that I can no longer walk, it was a big pain to find any parking. We lapped around over and over. It took about half an hour to find parking, so if you plan to drive, leave lots of time to find parking.

As we walked to the restaurant, my heels kept getting stuck in the brick sidewalks, so I recommend carrying a change of shoes. As we were taken to our table, I noticed half the restaurant was empty. My friend noticed too. I also noticed other diners were dressed very casually. Shorts and runners I did not expect. Since it was a four month wait, I had made an effort by putting on a nice dress. I would encourage dressing up a bit. The lighting is soft and it’s dark, so enjoy a romantic night. I confronted the waiter about the restaurant being half empty. I literally said, “What game are you playing here?” He said that the chef owner doesn’t want to be overwhelmed and wants to ensure each guest has the best experience possible, so they only take a limited number of guests. I noticed some people had walked in and gotten a table, so maybe it’s better to try your luck at walking in?

Our waiter came to take our drink order and we chose some appetizers. We were immediately confronted about ordering dinner. We said we had only just looked at appetizers. We were told the chef owner wants to know the dinner order now for the kitchen timing purposes. The waiter wasn’t rude about it, but I could tell he was quite adamant about following the chef’s rules. We ordered Prosciutto di Parma and a special of seared Foie Gras. We both enjoyed them and liked the breadbasket with hummus we were served. We were offered more bread three times by three separate people, so the service was excellent. In the past I have tried the award-winning Porcini and Chestnut soup and the expensive Pata Negra de Bellota ham. As I told my friend, “These are special happy pigs that eat acorns in a beautiful forest, so the taste is different.”

To me it tastes like ham with a piece of parmesan cheese, but there is no cheese. It has a nutty cheesy flavor. You see Cristiano Ronaldo’s girlfriend, Georgina

Rodriguez often eating this expensive revered ham on their private jet.

For main courses we chose the Gnocchi Caccio e Pepe and my friend had the half chicken. I notice that the menu is evolving, so if you choose to eat at Cioppino’s, these items may not be on the menu. Both dishes were excellent, and not very large portions, so we finished them and had room for dessert. When the waiter advised they had a special Chocolate Soufflé with salted caramel sauce, my heart stopped. I was SO excited! My friend had never tried a souffle, so he was pleasantly surprised. I was annoyed that the girl who served it cracked it and poured on the sauce. She stole the joy of breaking it open from me, but otherwise it was superb! My friend is NOT a dessert guy and he dug in!

Would I go back to Cioppino? Most definitely. If you want to go, either plan months in advance by calling in your reservation, or try your luck by walking in. This restaurant is a long time Yaletown fixture, and they offer an experience you will remember. As I’m writing this, it’s been a few weeks since dining there. I just asked my friend what he had to eat that night. All he can remember is the chocolate souffle. LOL