Canada to mandate vaccination for air and train passengers

Aug 13 2021, 5:29 pm

People looking to catch a flight or take a train in Canada will soon have to show proof that they’re fully immunized against COVID-19.

Canadian officials announced Friday that all commercial air passengers, interprovincial train passengers, and cruise ship passengers will need to be fully immunized.

The announcement came during a virtual news conference with Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc and Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra.

“For those few unable to be vaccinated, accommodation or alternative measures such as testing and screening may be determined in each situation,” Alghabra said.

All workers in the rail, air, and marine transport sectors will need to be fully immunized too.

Leblanc also announced all public servants working for the federal government would need to show proof of immunization by the end of October.

“It’s a very important step with the Delta variant being more transmissible,” he said. “Vaccines are by far the most effective weapon in the fight against COVID-19.”

Federally regulated sectors and Crown corporations, including CBC and Canada Post, will also need to create vaccination policies by the end of October.

Leblanc said the government does not currently know what proportion of public servants are fully immunized, but he expects it’s most of them.

He confirmed accommodations will be made for staff who cannot get vaccinated for legitimate medical reasons.

“We hope other sectors will follow our example and set a similar standard for their employees,” Alghabra said. “We want to protect against losing all the gains that we’ve made.”

Megan DevlinMegan Devlin

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