Question Period Note: COVID-19 PROOF OF VACCINATION SUPPORT TO PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES

Consistent with the December 14, 2021 Economic and Fiscal Update, the Government is proposing to launch a COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination Fund to support provinces and territories for costs to implement a COVID-19 proof of vaccination credential program.

• Helping Canadians get safely back to the activities and interactions they value most is a priority for the Government of Canada.
• As announced in the fall 2021 Economic and Fiscal Update, the Government is proposing to launch a COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination Fund.
• The intent of the Fund is to support the costs provinces and territories incurred to implement a COVID-19 proof of vaccination credential program, including costs to issue proof of vaccination credentials to their residents, and to maintain these credentials as long as needed.
• The Government of Canada has been working closely with provinces and territories to support the continued issuance of a standardized pan-Canadian COVID-19 proof of vaccination credential, providing a secure way to prove one’s vaccination status.
• The standardized COVID-19 proof of vaccination credential helps Canadians demonstrate their vaccination status in a secure and reliable way when travelling internationally where most of our largest foreign partners require it.
• Budget 2022 proposes $18 million in 2022-23 to continue work with provincial and territorial governments, and with international partners, to ensure that the Canadian proof of vaccination credential remains valid, secure, and accessible to all Canadians. This will ensure Canadians can continue to travel and meet proof of vaccination requirements both domestically and internationally.

Up to March 31, 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada led the proof of vaccination credential initiative for the Government of Canada with respect to international travel. The Public Health Agency of Canada has since taken over the leadership. The Agency has contributed to the initiative by supporting proof of vaccination credential issuance by provinces and territories, including the development of the standardized COVID-19 proof of vaccination credential. Provinces and territories, and in some cases, Indigenous communities and organizations, are the custodians of public health data – including personal health information of residents.

Canada has developed and published a “pan-Canadian specification” that allows provinces and territories to ensure their proof of vaccination credentials are digitally verifiable, follow a common look-and-feel, have the same data fields, and are generally recognizable as proof of vaccination credentials issued in Canada. This increases the likelihood that the credentials will be accepted as legitimate proof of vaccination across Canada and at international borders, ensuring Canadians and others vaccinated in Canada can access non-essential business, public spaces, and can resume travel internationally.

Since the end of November 2021, all provinces and territories have been issuing proof of vaccination credentials consistent with the pan-Canadian specification.

Proof of vaccination requirements

Proof of vaccination credentials have been used to support the implementation of vaccination mandates, which aim to protect those that visit public settings and to control the transmission of COVID-19. Scientific evidence shows that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing hospitalization and death, and also effective at preventing severe infection.

Many provinces and territories have begun eliminating certain vaccination requirements within their jurisdictions. As of May 20, 2022, all provinces and territories that had broad vaccination requirements have since rolled them back. Some provinces and territories have retained vaccination requirements in specific settings (e.g., long term care homes) and others are giving businesses the option to continue asking for proof of vaccination at their discretion.

To date, all jurisdictions are continuing to issue the Canadian PVC and SK, MB, QC, NB, NU, NL, NT, and YT have explicitly indicated they will continue to issue and maintain proof of vaccination credentials for use by residents as needed (e.g. for travel).

Key international partners continue to require proof of vaccination to enter the country and/or access certain facilities, including G7 countries with one exception: the United Kingdom lifted all remaining COVID-19 travel measures on March 18, 2022.

COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination Fund for provinces and territories

A 2021 Liberal Party of Canada (LPC) platform commitment proposed a COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination Fund to support provinces and territories who implement a requirement for proof of vaccination credentials in their jurisdiction for non-essential businesses and public spaces.

The LPC platform commitment was for a $1 billion fund; however, the Government is proposing a total fund amount of $300 million. The $300 million amount reflects the Government of Canada’s estimate of what provinces and territories have spent to issue proof of vaccination credentials, as well as anticipated costs to maintain the credential programs as long as needed going forward (e.g., as long as proof of vaccination is required for international travel or to support domestic public health measures).

Additional details will follow regarding the apportionment of the fund across provinces and territories, and expectations associated with the receipt of funds.

Indigenous engagement

In addition to collaboration with provinces and territories, the Government has engaged with Indigenous communities and organizations to ensure proof of vaccination credentials meet the needs of Indigenous Peoples. Since May 2021, a series of engagement sessions have been held with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners, including communities that are close to the U.S. border, and those involved in frequent cross-border travel for cultural, work or familial purposes. Engagement will continue as required.

The objectives of this engagement were to ensure that Indigenous partners are part of the conversation at an early stage, to provide informational updates, and hear considerations and potential issues that may arise for these partners. Concerns expressed included: issues of equity, cross-border movement (including Canada-U.S.), accessibility, data sovereignty / vaccination reporting gaps, and international recognition of Canada’s mixed-dose schedule and communications.

In order to ensure Indigenous community members can access the standardized COVID-19 proof of vaccination credential, some Indigenous communities and organizations have done significant work to incorporate data on Indigenous vaccinations into provincial and territorial vaccination systems. We will encourage provinces and territories to collaborate with Indigenous communities to determine how this funding can effectively support costs related to proof of vaccination credentials.

• In its 2021 election platform, the Liberal Party of Canada committed to “launch a COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination Fund to support provinces and territories who implement a requirement for proof of vaccine credentials in their jurisdiction for non-essential businesses and public spaces”.
• On October 21, 2021, the Prime Minister stated that “there will be a standardized proof of vaccination certificate that as we said, we will be picking up the tab for at the federal level”.
• All provinces and territories that had implemented widespread vaccination requirements within their jurisdictions have since removed them, though requirements remain in place in some high-risk settings. To date, all jurisdictions are continuing to issue the Canadian proof of vaccination credential. Federal vaccination requirements (i.e., for domestic air and rail travel, for Government of Canada employees, and at Canadian borders) remain in place. Most foreign countries also continue to require proof of vaccination for entry by foreign travellers.
BUDGET 2022 KEY MESSAGES:
• Budget 2022 proposes $18 million in 2022-23 for the Public Health Agency of Canada to continue to work with provincial and territorial governments and with international partners to ensure that the Canadian proof of vaccination credential remains valid, secure, and accessible to all Canadians.