Canada to make COVID vaccines mandatory for all federal employees, airline, rail and cruise ship passengers
Vaccinations will now be mandatory for all federal public service workers and the government expects to see this extend to employees of other crown corporations as well, Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc announced at a press conference Friday afternoon.
Passengers wishing to travel on commercial planes, interprovincial trains and cruise ships will also be required to vaccinate in order to board, Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra said. The announcements come amid rising cases of COVID-19 across Canada, fuelled by the virus's highly transmissible Delta variant.
The mandates are both set to come into effect this fall, though LeBlanc said the government is moving quickly on a plan for public service employees. We will take the time needed to get this right, but we will also act very quickly," LeBlanc said, adding the government will be working with key stakeholders including unions and bargaining agents to iron out the details of the plan.
As the country's largest employer, the federal government has to lead by example," Leblanc said. Federally-regulated industries are being asked to follow suit, and the government plans to work closely with businesses over the coming weeks, he added.
Government employees who are medically unable to be vaccinated will work directly with appropriate officials" to ensure measures are in place, LeBlanc said. He did not elaborate when pressed by reporters on possible ramifications for employees who can be vaccinated but choose not to receive it, saying only that these workers will be dealt with individually" by their managers.
Employers in federally-regulated sectors will be required to formulate a plan to ensure a mandate is imposed no later than the end of October, Alghabra said. That same mandate extends to certain travellers" including those that travel on commercial planes, interprovincial trains and on large marine vessels with overnight accommodations.
Those unable to be vaccinated will be subject to measures such as testing and screening. Vaccine requirements in the transportation sector will help protect the safety of employees, their families, passengers, their communities and all Canadians," Alghabra said, adding Canadians, deserve to feel confident when travelling that the environment around them is safe."
Earlier this week, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced fully vaccinated Canadians will soon be eligible for a government document that proves their vaccination status. While this is intended for use in international travel, provinces can choose to implement it domestically.
Jenna Moon is a breaking news reporter for the Star and is based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @_jennamoon