Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced provinces and the federal government have agreed on a new national vaccine passport for domestic and international travel — and many Canadians already have them in their phones and wallets.
The provinces and territories agreed on the look, feel and security measures based on the international standard forSmart health cards.
Several have already begun to roll out the new proofs of vaccination, including Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and Yukon.
It is distinguished by a Canada word mark in the top corner.
"I'm happy to confirm that all provinces and territories have confirmed that they will be moving forward with a standardized, national proof of vaccination," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference in Ottawa Wednesday.
All provinces plan to have their version of the Canadian document available by the end of November, said government officials in a technical briefing held on condition of anonymity.
The passport will be digital and feature a QR code that includes the vaccination history. Paper copies will also be accepted.
The only health information contained in the proof of vaccination will be the holder’s name and vaccine information, such as the type of vaccine, lot number, date of vaccination and the number of doses.
While provinces have taken the lead on standardizing the national document, the federal government promised $1 billion to pay for the work.
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