Canada to drop COVID-19 vaccine requirement at border by September 30: Source

The federal government is expected to drop mandatory COVID-19 vaccine requirements at its border as of September 30, an official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

The official said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to give a final sign-off on it but said the government would likely be dropping the requirement as well as ending random COVID-19 testing at airports.

Federal cabinet ministers have confirmed they are considering options and say discussions are being had within the government about whether or not to keep the travel measures in place.

“These decisions are constantly reassessed,” said Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, speaking to reporters on Wednesday morning. “This is a time to reassess those particular measures now. Once that is done, communication will follow.”

Health Minister @jyduclos when asked if the Feds are considering scrapping the COVID vaccine mandate for foreign travellers and making the ArriveCan app optional.
Listen to @CityNewsTO for the details #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/ptgMtJkiVT

— Cormac Mac Sweeney (@cmaconthehill) September 21, 2022

According to the Associated Press source, filling out information in the ArriveCan app will also no longer be required. The app, currently required by travellers to provide mandatory travel and public health information when entering the country, will expire on September 30.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

The feds last extended public health measures at borders, including using the ArriveCan app, on June 29. At the time, the government said 95 per cent of land and air travellers had been using the app.

The mask mandate for travellers on planes and trains is expected to remain in place.

A fully vaccinated traveller entering the country is considered immunized if they have received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine accepted for travel, a mix of two accepted vaccines, or at least one dose of the Johnson & Johnson shot.

These individuals must have received a second dose at least 14 calendar days before entering Canada.

Related: Staffing shortages, passport and Nexus backlogs: What’s being done to fix travel delays?

This would mean unvaccinated professional athletes like major league baseball players would be allowed to play in Toronto in the playoffs should the Blue Jays make the postseason.

Several notable players — including National League MVP candidates and teammates Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado — were forced to skip a road trip to Toronto due to their unvaccinated status.

Former Blue Jay and reigning American League CY Young award winner Robbie Ray, who signed with the Seattle Mariners in November 2021, didn’t accompany his team to Toronto in their last series as a result of being unvaccinated.

Entering Tuesday, the Blue Jays are a game-and-a-half ahead of the Mariners for the top spot in the AL Wild Card. The U.S. currently mandates that all entrants be vaccinated, though it’s unclear if that will be reversed by September 30.

On June 20, Canada suspended COVID-19 vaccine mandates for domestic travel on planes and trains and outbound international travellers.

The Canadian government has also since lifted COVID-19 vaccine mandates for federally regulated workers, including those in public service, the RCMP, and transport workers, including truckers.

With files from Rob Gillies of The Associated Press