B.C.'s vaccine card not compatible with new federal system, but premier promises grace period
The provincial vaccine card downloaded by approximately 3.7 million B.C. residents isn't compatible with the federal proof-of-vaccination system Canadians will soon use when travelling.
That system, unveiled by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday, uses a standardized vaccine passport that features a traveller's name, their birthdate and detailed information on their COVID-19 vaccination history, including the types of vaccine received for each dose.
B.C.'s card only displays a user's name and vaccination status. Both the federal and provincial versions use a scannable QR code.
"The federal government's test is much higher for international travel, and we said so at the time that we implemented our immunization card," Premier John Horgan said, speaking to reporters hours after Trudeau's announcement.
"You're going to need two at the moment, and we'll see how we go in the months ahead, how we can bring those two together."
Canadians will be able to use the standardized passport during air travel, and the federal government has promised to promote the system internationally so it will be recognized by border agencies in other countries.
The standardized version is already available in Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut – but not British Columbia, which issued its vaccine card last month for regulating entry into venues such as sports stadiums, restaurants and movie theatres.
The federal government has said each province and territory is responsible for issuing the "standardized pan-Canadian" vaccine passport, and that they should be available within the next month. It's unclear why some province's cards are already prepared and others' aren't.
Horgan said B.C. is still working with the federal government to prepare for the launch of the new system on Oct. 30, and that he understands there will be a grace period during which the province's existing vaccine card will be accepted for travel. He could not say how long that grace period might last.
"We're going to hopefully clarify those issues in the days ahead," he said, acknowledging Thursday's announcement "does create confusion for people who are anxious to travel."
The premier also noted that all of the detailed information required for the federal passport, including the batch numbers of each dose received, is already securely stored by B.C.'s Ministry of Health.
Horgan said he understands the need for more detailed disclosure while travelling, and argued B.C.'s limited passport achieved its intended purpose of putting residents more at ease when getting back to some of their pre-pandemic activities like watching spectator sports.
"I do not regret for a minute that we took immediate steps to give people confidence that they could travel … within their community," he said.
The standardized national proof will feature verification measures and security features that prevent tampering and forgeries, according to the federal government.
The passports can also be used with ArriveCan when returning from abroad to be able to qualify for a quarantine exemption. The app has already been updated to “digitally validate the authenticity of the new Canadian COVID-19 proof of vaccination, allowing Canadian officials to easily review it at the border,” according to briefing materials.
After the system launches, Canadians will be able to board flights using proof of a negative COVID-19 test instead of a vaccine passport, though only until the end of November.
With files from CTVNews.ca's Rachel Aiello
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.