Liberals promise funding for provinces that develop vaccine passports

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is coming out this morning with a promise of money for provinces that develop their own form of vaccine passports.

What the party is promising is a $1 billion fund provinces and territories could dip into to help them implement a proof-of-vaccination system.

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So far, Quebec and British Columbia have announced provincial vaccine passport systems.

Funding would be on a per-capita basis and only if provinces back their systems with “an enforceable mandate” to show proof of full vaccination for visiting non-essential businesses.

Trudeau is also promising a re-elected Liberal government would put $100 million toward researching the long-term effects of COVID-19.

The Liberal leader is making the announcement during a swing through the Greater Toronto Area, in a province where vaccine passports have pitted a reluctant Progressive Conservative government against local medical officers of health and business groups.