OTTAWA, ON – If you want to travel within Canada this winter you will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
At the end of this month anyone wishing to travel by air, rail, or sea will have to prove vaccination status before boarding any federally regulated transportation.
People who travel on ferries will not have to provide proof of vaccination, but federally regulated vessels with a crew of more than 12 will have to be vaccinated.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that there will be a ten-week grace period where travellers will be able to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test, but that window will close soon after.
“By the end of November if you’re 12 or older and want to fly or take the train you’ll have to be fully-vaccinated as will staff. Testing will no longer be an option before boarding,” stressed Trudeau.
The Prime Minister also made it clear that medical exemptions to this will be very “narrow”.
Also, by October 29th, all federal public servants in core public services will have to be fully-vaccinated. Employees not fully-vaccinated or those who refuse to disclose their vaccination status will be placed on administrative leave without pay as early as mid-November. If someone who has had only one shot refuses to get a second dose within ten weeks will also be placed on administrative leave.
Any employee who gives a false attestation of their vaccine status will face disciplinary action up to and including termination of their employment.
The new policy does not apply to Crown Corporations or other agencies like Canada Post, but the federal government is urging those departments to develop a similar vaccine mandate.
Prime Minister Trudeau also announced on Wednesday the federal government is almost finished with work on an international travel vaccine passport.