New vaccine rules for travellers in Canada
As of Oct. 30, you will need more than just a mask if you want to travel in Canada.
Wednesday, the federal government announced that passengers 12 and over who are eligible will need to be fully vaccinated when travelling by plane, train, or boat in Canada.
The new rules also apply to all airlines and airport staff, all employees of federally regulated railways, and marine operators with Canadian vessels.
The Winnipeg Airports Authority said it implemented a vaccine policy prior to the federal announcement, and all airport employees were already required to be fully vaccinated by the end of October.
Vice President of Communications and Government Relations, Tyler MacAfee said it wants people who are travelling with them to be safe.
“The trick now will be for the airlines to be able to validate that vaccination piece when you check in to get your boarding pass. So it won’t be a requirement right now to enter the airport, but to get on a plane it will be.”
MacAfee said air travel accounts for a very small percentage of the overall cases in Canada, but these new rules are one way the industry can do more to prevent the spread of the virus.
Train passengers and employees will also need to show proof of vaccination.
In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson for Via Rail Canada said in part:
“Via Rail’s number one priority has always been the health and safety of its passengers and employees and the implementation of mandatory vaccination will contribute to ensuring that Via Rail’s trains and other facilities remain as safe as possible for everyone.”
The federal government said it’ll be up to each industry to establish processes to verify vaccine status.
It said there will be a short transition phase from now until November 30th where travellers have the option to show a negative COVID-19 test instead of proof of vaccination.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."