Canada will mandate COVID-19 vaccine for air and rail travel
Canada on Aug. 13 announced that all civil servants, as well as travelers on commercial aircraft, trains and cruise ships, will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Those unable to be vaccinated, Canada's transport minister said, would undergo testing. It's unclear when this policy would be implemented, but an official said that the country intended to roll out a plan "as soon as possible."
Related: Entering Canada as an American
"Vaccine requirements in the transportation sector will help protect the safety of employees, their families, passengers, their communities and all Canadians. And more broadly, it will hasten Canada's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic," Omar Alghabra, Canada's transport minister, said on Aug. 13, according to CBC/Radio-Canada.
The news comes days after Canada reopened to vaccinated Americans after a 17-month border closure. Americans who are fully vaccinated can finally enter Canada for tourism or other nonessential purposes by air and land so long as they pack a negative PCR test. Currently, only American citizens and permanent residents are allowed to visit Canada from abroad.
Related: What it was like to enter Canada by car
Nationals from other countries will be tentatively allowed to enter starting Sept. 7. Travelers also need to submit entry documentation through the Canadian government's new ArriveCAN app within 72 hours of arrival in Canada. Unvaccinated children under 12 will be allowed to enter Canada but must submit their information electronically through ArriveCAN and meet all testing requirements.
Related: When will international travel return? A country-by-country guide to coronavirus recovery
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