As of tomorrow, the vaccine passport will no longer be required in Quebec businesses, two days before the date originally planned by the Legault government.
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In the fall of 2021, several provinces and territories in Canada adopted the vaccine passport in an attempt to categorize and distinguish the vaccinated population from the unvaccinated.
A few months later, after two consecutive waves of the virus and new variants, the provincial governments lighten this measure one after the other in the wake of deconfinement.
In this west coast province, the vaccine passport came into effect on September 13.
According to the local government, this set-up has enabled businesses that have been affected by COVID-19 to help their vaccinated customers feel safe.
A dose of vaccine was required to participate in sports activities, go to the theater, to the cinema, and consume in a bar or restaurant.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/QMI AGENCY
Unlike other Canadian provinces, no exceptions were accepted for medical or religious reasons.
It was from October 24 that two doses were required for the vaccine passport.
It was only on Thursday March 10 that the government of British Columbia announced that it would put an end to the vaccine passport, as of April 8.
The vaccine passport came into effect on September 22 in Ontario.
Initially, it was only required for non-essential activities such as bars, casinos or any public gathering places.
In this province, people who have been exempted from vaccination for medical reasons are accepted in establishments and events, but had to present a doctor’s note.
SCREENSHOT
To use it, the passport had to be presented using an emailed file when the dose was administered.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced in mid-February a new accelerated reopening schedule, including the abolition of the vaccine passport as of March 1.
Quebec was the first province to implement the vaccine passport.
Since September 1, residents of Quebec must present proof of vaccination to access places and activities considered non-essential.
The provincial government has implemented an app called “Vaxicode,” which keeps proof of vaccination close at hand. Katchewan was the first province in Canada to announce the end of proof of vaccination. .
In addition to the QR code, people aged 13 and over must present an identity document when they want to access a place where the vaccine passport is requested.
Quebec is also the only province to have extended its use to big-box stores over 1500 square meters, even if it was for a short time.
At the beginning of February, Quebec public health gave the green light to accelerate the lifting of certain health measures. The end of the vaccine passport was initially planned for March 14.
PHOTO DIANE TREMBLAY
A few weeks later, the government moved the date forward by two days, to the 12th. The decision of other provinces to abolish it seems to have precipitated this change of date.
In addition to being the first province to implement such a passport, Quebec is currently the one where it is required the most extensively, especially with respect to businesses.
Saskatchewan was the first province in Canada to announce the end of proof of vaccination.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe made the announcement Feb. 8, saying passport vaccinations will no longer be mandatory beginning Feb. 14.
The vaccine passport and QR codes are still available for citizens of the province who will need them, especially for travel.
Photo Martin Alarie
The vaccine passport arrived in the province on September 30, when the vaccination rate was the lowest in Canada, at 61% of the population.
Moe told a press briefing that it was time “to take the next step in living with COVID-19 and getting our lives back to normal.”
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced the implementation of a vaccine passport on September 20, 2021, as the province faced a spike in COVID-19 cases.
The vaccine passport, or the “restrictions waiver program” as it was called, required those wishing to enter non-essential commerce and certain public places to present proof of full vaccination or a negative PCR test.
Jason Kenney, who faces a vote of confidence from members of the United Conservative Party on April 9, has been under pressure from his caucus since the start of the pandemic.
File Photo, Calgary Sun/QMI Agency
During the first meeting of the united conservative caucus of the year 2022, the deputies voted overwhelmingly to eliminate the vaccine passport. The next day, Kenney announced that the lifting of sanitary measures would be done in three phases, including the vaccine passport.
A week later, Alberta decided to drop its restrictions exemption program at midnight on February 9, thus setting in motion the first stage of the deconfinement plan.
Manitoba followed the example of its close neighbors Alberta and Saskatchewan, which both abolished the passport vaccine during the month of February.
On March 1, the Manitoba government withdrew the vaccination proof requirement. The remaining restrictions, including mandatory mask-wearing, will be dropped on March 15.
Manitoba was the second Canadian province to introduce a passport vaccine, on September 3.
These three maritime provinces integrated the vaccine passport later than the others. Nova Scotia implemented proof of vaccination on October 4, Prince Edward Island on October 5, and Newfoundland and Labrador on October 22.
Screenshot from New York State document
These three provinces had at that time a vaccination rate of 73% to 78%, higher than the rest of the country.
The vaccine passport arrived in New Brunswick on September 21. And from Monday, February 28, it will no longer be mandatory to access non-essential businesses and public places.
New Brunswick is therefore gradually deconfinement, while all health measures, including the wearing of masks, social distancing and isolation, will be lifted on March 14.
Finally, the penultimate province to impose proof of vaccination was the Yukon, which proceeded to make it mandatory as of October 13.
A program operating on a voluntary basis has also been set up in the Northwest Territories, while Nunavut has simply not implemented any measures resembling a passport.
Note that British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and the Yukon have the strictest mandatory vaccination policies. Since regular screening was not accepted, vaccination was required in several areas.
Reference-www.tvanouvelles.ca