Vaccinations now required to travel into and through Canada on planes, trains and boats
All Canadians aged 12 and older now need to show proof of vaccination if you want to hop on a flight or train ride to any other Canadian destination.
The new rules that took effect Tuesday, follow a one month grace period where negative molecular COVID-19 tests were allowed to board trains, planes and cruise ships. Now all travellers must be fully vaccinated.
Airlines West Jet and Air Canada say they have resources in place to check proof of vaccination. Attendants were spotted scanning barcodes Tuesday at Calgary International Airport.
“Customers can submit their proof of vaccination online ahead of travel,” read a statement from Air Canada.
“They have the option to do this either through the Manage My Booking tab up to 72 hours prior to travel or when they check-in online and obtain a boarding pass within 24 hours of their flight. We strongly encourage customers to use our online tools to save time at the airport and to make the airport experience more streamlined.”
Air Canada says its self-serve kiosks at the airport are unable to accommodate proof of vaccine documents at this time.
Each boarding pass will have a code that reflects an approved traveller, meaning their ticket will not need to be checked again.
Travellers at Calgary airport, Nov. 30, 2021
SAFE AND SECURE
For West Jet and Swoop Airlines, staff have been working on safe and secure technology to approve travellers at the gates.
“The introduction of a self-service solution ensures we can accurately and effectively validate 100 per cent of guests' vaccination status,” explained Stuart McDonald, WestJet’s interim Executive Vice-President and Chief Information Officer.
“Initially our agents had been manually validating vaccination status at various stages throughout the travel journey. We now have a Canada-wide technology solution that prioritizes guest privacy and ease of travel.”
WestJet says its automated technology will scan all provincial and territorial QR code’s, which contains each guest’s proof of vaccination.
These automated scans are available via the WestJet App, digital check in and at airport kiosks as of November 30.
“By automating the process through scans, our agents can focus on the higher touch aspects of assisting guests,” said McDonald.
A FEW HICCUPS
Gregory Cann and his wife were in Calgary for a wedding. Their flight home to Vancouver on Tuesday had a few hiccups, when one of them was able to approve their vaccine status online, while the other could not.
Cann says Ottawa did not streamline the process very easily.
“It’s taken awhile to get their act together but still for the public it’s just an exercise in frustration as it feels like we’re the ones that have to sort through how the hell to pull this altogether,” said Cann.
The Government of Canada says in order to board, all travellers must have received their second dose at least 14 days before their departure date.
The rules apply to anyone who is travelling by plane on domestic, trans border or international flights departing from Canadian airports, and rail passengers on VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.