Canadians will need to be fully vaccinated to travel on a plane or train by the end of the month.
There will be a short grace period where an individual can provide a negative COVID test, but by the end of November anyone over the age of 12 must have both doses.
Vaccinations will also be mandated for employees in federally regulated workplaces.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland made the announcement Wednesday morning, stressing the new rules will be strictly enforced.
Trudeau says the process to qualify for a medical exemption will be narrow, specific, and onerous to obtain.
Freeland says, “Members of the public service who are not fully vaccinated or do not disclose their vaccination status by October 29 will be placed on administrative leave, without pay, as early as November 15.”
She notes this includes workers with the RCMP, Corrections and Border Security.
Freeland says the government will work with other businesses and entities under the federal umbrella to ensure they are following the new measures.
She calls the measures the strongest in the world.
“To keep our economy open. To keep our kids in school and to let all Canadians get back to work. We absolutely must use this tool and we will.”
Freeland says 89% of the population has at least one shot, while 82% have two vaccines.
