Maple News reports that Canada is launching a standardized national COVID-19 vaccine passport to support safer and more seamless international travel. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced the initiative during a press briefing in Ottawa, highlighting the federal government’s efforts to streamline vaccination verification for Canadians traveling abroad.
Canadians who are fully vaccinated will soon be able to download a digital proof of vaccination that follows a consistent national format. Although most residents already received vaccine certificates from their provinces or territories, the federal government is now introducing a uniform design meant to enhance recognition across borders. This standardized document includes a Government of Canada watermark in the top-right corner to verify authenticity.
The new passport won’t replace the provincial health records but will instead complement them. Health data will continue to be managed at the provincial level, respecting Canada’s jurisdictional structure where healthcare falls primarily under provincial responsibility.
Government officials emphasized the importance of consistency in vaccination documentation during a technical briefing held on October 21. Representatives from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Transport Canada, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and Indigenous Services Canada all participated in the session.
The national passport will help border officials around the world quickly recognize Canadian vaccination status, cutting through the confusion created by different provincial formats. It also aims to boost border officers’ confidence when evaluating vaccine records and reduce delays at airports and border checkpoints.
Travelers returning to Canada will be able to upload their vaccination passport to the ArriveCAN mobile app, a mandatory tool for entry into the country during the pandemic. Officials say that the vaccine passport will also be used within Canada, in provinces where proof of vaccination is needed to access non-essential services such as dining and fitness facilities.
More information about how to obtain and use the vaccine passport will be posted soon on the official Government of Canada website.
Canada recently reopened its borders to fully vaccinated international tourists. With the introduction of this new passport, the government is reinforcing its commitment to both public health and a responsible reopening of global travel.