Canada to Suspend Vaccine Mandate for Domestic Travel

DALLAS - The Canadian government is to suspend on June 20 the vaccination mandates for domestic and outbound travel, federally controlled transportation sectors, and federal government employees.

Furthermore, proposed legislation under Part II (Occupational Health and Safety) of the Canada Labour Code to make vaccination mandatory in all federally regulated workplaces is no longer being pursued by the government of Canada.

While the suspension of vaccine mandates signals an improvement in Canada's public health situation, the COVID-19 virus continues to mutate and spread in Canada and around the world. Given this backdrop, as well as the fact that vaccination rates and virus management in other countries vary greatly, present border vaccination restrictions will continue in place for inbound travel.

The official press release from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat states that the above will lessen the burden of overseas travel on our healthcare system and provide further protection against future variations. Other public health precautions, such as wearing a mask, remain in effect and will be enforced during a passenger's flight or rail ride.

Ruling for Travelers, Transportation Workers, Foreign Nationals

• As of 00:01 EDT on June 20, 2022, the vaccination requirement to board a plane or a train in Canada will be suspended.
• In addition, federally regulated transport sector employers will no longer be required to have mandatory vaccination policies in place for employees.
• Current border measures, including the existing vaccination requirement for most foreign nationals to enter Canada, and quarantine and testing requirements for Canadians who have not received their primary vaccine series, remain in effect.

Comments from Government Officials

Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, said, “Throughout this pandemic, our government’s approach has been rooted in close collaboration with our provincial and territorial partners. We all have a role to play in keeping Canadians safe. Our government will continue to make decisions based on the best public health advice and adjust its measures accordingly.”

Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport of Canada, said, “The mandatory vaccination requirement successfully mitigated the full impact of COVID-19 for travellers and workers in the transportation sector and provided broader protection to our communities. Suspending this requirement is possible thanks to the tens of millions of Canadians who did the right thing: they stepped up, rolled up their sleeves, and got vaccinated. This action will support Canada’s transportation system as we recover from the pandemic.”

Featured image: Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Photo: Daniel Gorun/Airways