Manitoba will offer new vaccine proof for travellers starting Monday
Existing vaccine cards still good within Manitoba, with new QR codes used for air, rail travel, province says
Manitobans will be offered new standardized proof of vaccination for international travellers that will meet pan-Canadian standards starting next Monday, Premier Kelvin Goertzen says.
That credential will supplement the province's existing immunization card, which has been in place for months, Goertzen said in an emailed statement on Thursday.
"Given Manitoba's leadership on this initiative, we have been actively working with our federal-provincial-territorial partners to support the safe resumption of travel within Canada and abroad for those who are fully vaccinated," the statement said.
"As such, in addition to our immunization card, Manitoba will be offering a vaccination credential — which will be available starting Oct. 25 — that meets the requirements of the pan-Canadian standard for Manitobans planning international or domestic travel by air or rail."
On Thursday, federal government officials, speaking on background during a briefing, said they worked with the provinces to come up with a "pan-Canadian" format for proof of vaccination.
Provinces will issue the standardized proof of COVID-19 vaccination, which will include the holder's name and birth date, their vaccination status and dates of vaccination, and a QR code that includes the vaccination history.
The documentation was designed with what the government calls a "common look" featuring the government of Canada logo and the Canadian flag.
In Manitoba, that credential will be a QR code needed for air and rail travel, a spokesperson for Goertzen said. Manitoba will keep using its existing immunization card within the province.
Manitoba is one of only a handful of regions — along with Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island — that hadn't already implemented the new system.
Every province and territory across Canada has agreed to issue the accepted credentials ahead of the winter holiday season, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.
"Not every province has yet delivered on that but I know they are all working very quickly and should resolve that in the weeks to come," Trudeau said at a news conference.