By Paul Vieira
OTTAWA--Canada said on Thursday it would be rolling out a digital certificate for citizens fully vaccinated against Covid-19 that will permit them to travel domestically on planes and trains, and be used for trips abroad to satisfy foreign border controls.
Canadian officials said they anticipate issuing the certificate in late November. Officials have been in discussions with authorities in countries such as the U.S. that are popular Canadian travel destinations to ensure the digital document would be accepted as proof of Covid-19 vaccination.
At present, Canadians rely on digital or paper documents from the country's provinces--which have jurisdiction over health care--as proof they have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. Some Canadian provinces have enacted rules limiting entry into certain businesses, such as restaurants and gyms, unless people are fully vaccinated.
The pending issuance of a national digital certificate comes after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced measures early this month that would require travelers to be fully vaccinated before they can board a plane or train in the country. This was a key promise made during a recent election campaign, in which the Trudeau-led Liberal Party won re-election.
Effective Oct. 30, travelers departing from Canadian airports on planes or at train stations on passenger rail must show evidence of being fully vaccinated. There is a brief transition period for travelers yet to be vaccinated, as they can provide a valid Covid-19 molecular test within 72 hours of travel up until Nov. 30. After Nov. 30, that testing option will no longer be available.
Back in July, the European Union began issuing a digital health certificate that permits people who have been vaccinated to travel freely within the bloc without the need to quarantine or test negative for Covid-19 upon arrival at their destination.
Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
10-21-21 1053ET
