Canadians should use provincial proof of vaccination to travel internationally, officials say
CBC
Canadians should use their provincial and territorial proof-of-vaccination documentation to travel internationally, according to the federal government, although it will be up to foreign governments whether to accept it.
Government officials, speaking on background during a briefing Thursday morning, said they are confident they will be widely accepted, and noted that the government is working with other countries to secure acceptance abroad.
The standardized COVID-19 proof of vaccination includes the holder's name and date of birth, number of doses, the type of vaccine, lot numbers, dates of vaccination and a QR code that includes the vaccination history.
They were designed with what the government calls a "common look" that features the national wordmark, the logo with the word "Canada" and flag.
As of Thursday, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon are issuing the standardized proof of vaccination, said the officials.
They expect all provinces to start issuing universally accepted credentials within the next month, ahead of the holiday season.
Canadians can also request the proof by mail.
In Ontario, for example, fully vaccinated residents can download a QR code built to the SMART Health Card standard, which includes the Government of Canada wordmark.
The SMART Health Card standard is a set of guidelines, approved by the International Organization for Standardization and endorsed by Canada, to store health information and is used by a number of tech companies, including Apple.
The standardized proof of vaccination can also be used when the requirement for proof of vaccination to travel domestically kicks in at the end of the month, although travellers can continue to use their old provincial proof of vaccination if their province is not yet issuing the standardized credentials.
As of Oct. 30, all travellers aged 12 and older taking flights leaving Canadian airports or travelling on Via Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains must be fully vaccinated before boarding. Marine passengers on non-essential passenger vessels like cruise ships must also complete the vaccination series before travelling.
The official said they considered other options, including a federally issued credential, but decided that would have "limited value" given that provinces and territories administered the shots and held the data.
They also said changes are coming soon to the global health travel advisories to a destination-based approach, so Canadians can better prepare travel plans.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce further details about the passport at 10 a.m. ET in Ottawa.
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