Fly-in communities will be exempt from a federal requirement that air passengers be vaccinated against COVID-19, Canada's transport minister said Friday, a day before the mandate comes into effect. Residents who leave their remote communities to access essential services need not be vaccinated to board a plane, Omar Alghabra told a news conference outside Toronto International Pearson Airport.
OTTAWA -- Fly-in communities will be exempt from a federal requirement that air passengers be vaccinated against COVID-19, Canada's transport minister said Friday, a day before the mandate comes into effect.
"We are putting in place some exceptions with guardrails and with measures, as well, to protect the health and safety of everyone," he said. "But again, those are communities that have very little if no access to the outside world, other than travelling by plane." Alghabra said the government consulted with First Nations, provinces and territories to develop the exemption.
They'll have until Feb. 28 to board a plane or boat leaving Canada with only a negative COVID-19 test if they choose to remain unvaccinated.There's a similar grace period for other unvaccinated Canadians, when they can travel with just a negative molecular test result for COVID-19, but it lasts only until Nov. 29.
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