TORONTO (AP) — The Canadian government will soon require all air travelers and passengers on interprovincial trains to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
That includes all commercial air travelers, passengers on trains between provinces and cruise ship passengers, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Aug. 13.
“As soon as possible in the fall and no later than the end of October, the government of Canada will require employees in the federally regulated air, rail and marine transportation sectors to be vaccinated. This includes all commercial air travelers,” his office said in a statement.
Alghabra said additional measures are needed to encourage more people to get vaccinated and to protect the gains the country has made to flatten the pandemic curve. Cases are starting to creep up again in what Canada’s top health official dubbed a fourth wave last week.
As of last Friday, more than 82% of all Canadians ages 12 and older had received at least their first dose of a vaccine against COVID-19, significantly higher than the 69% rate in the U.S.
The Canadian government is working on a vaccine passport that can be used by travelers.
The government is also requiring vaccinations for all federal public servants in the country. The Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic Leblanc noted the federal government is the largest employer in Canada.
Leblanc said it is the government’s duty to guarantee the safety of their employees and those who they serve.
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