Background
Beginning October 30, 2021, passengers over the age of 12 plus four months travelling by air or rail will need to provide proof of vaccination (e.g., as issued by the province or territory of residence or other health authority) in order to board a train or plane.
Until November 30, 2021, a valid COVID-19 molecular test taken within 72 hours of travel will be accepted as an alternative to full vaccination. After November 30, only limited exceptions will be permitted to the vaccination requirement. Medevac flights are excluded from these requirements.
Remote communities
For those living in remote communities (some of which are not accessible by road), air or rail travel is often the only link to essential services in support of their medical, health, or social well-being. Travel can involve either moving from the remote community to a "gateway" airport to the final, often southern, destination or boarding a train to travel to a more southerly destination.
The Government of Canada is working with provinces, territories, Indigenous organizations and local authorities to develop accommodations to appropriately address the needs of remote communities.
It will work with provincial and territorial governments and other partners to refine this approach based on early experiences, and to develop the next phases of accommodation for remote communities as the national vaccine requirement for travellers evolves.
The Government of Canada is committed to work with local health officials, communities and aviation partners to maximize flexibility, exercise discretion and minimize disruption, when implementing this new requirement on October 30.
Interim Accommodations for Remote Communities
For those travelling from remote communities, being vaccinated provides the best protection for themselves, the people they are travelling with, and their community members. Carrying proof of vaccination is the best option when travelling.
In recognition of the unique needs of remote communities, the national vaccination requirement will include specific accommodations for travellers from remote communities, to ensure they will be able to obtain essential services in support of their medical, health, or social well-being, and return safely to their homes.
For air travel
The following accommodations will be put in place for unvaccinated travellers to and from remote communities:
- Anyone completing quarantine under Public Health Authority requirements prior to travel (e.g., as required by Nunavut) will be exempted from the testing requirements (i.e., the quarantine will be accepted as equivalent to the negative test requirement).
- Travellers flying out of remote communities will be exempt from the mandatory testing requirement before they depart until such time as the local testing capacity is in place (work is underway to do that).
- Instead, free, rapid high-quality testing COVID-19 testing will be available at "gateway" airports and southern airports for an interim period to enable these travellers to be tested as soon as possible in their journey, and to ensure their travel is safe for themselves and others.
Quarantine in lieu of Vaccination or a Test
Some health authorities (e.g., Nunavut) require a 14 day quarantine prior to travel to the Territory.
Those unvaccinated travellers who are subject to these restrictions will be exempt from the requirement to provide proof of vaccination or a valid COVID-19 molecular test.
Departing Remote Communities
Until local testing capacity is fully in place, unvaccinated travellers departing from airports serving remote communities will not be required to provide proof of vaccination or a valid COVID-19 molecular test.
This accommodation extends only to a "gateway airports" where free, rapid testing will be available for the interim.
The Government of Canada is working diligently with industry partners to deploy high-quality (molecular) rapid tests so they are available in gateway airports, and it is working with provincial, territorial, and local partners to expand local testing capacity in the remote communities to support safe travel and other community needs.
Onward and Return Travel
Unvaccinated travellers will be encouraged to access, where capacity is available, local molecular COVID-19 testing.
However, to ensure all travellers coming from, or transiting to, remote communities have access to molecular testing, the Government of Canada will provide Canadian airlines that transport travellers to and from Gateway communities, (Annex A), with self-administered rapid COVID-19 molecular test kits at no charge.
At gateway airports, airlines will provide these test kits, along with clear Health Canada-approved instructions, to all travellers who are not vaccinated or do not have a valid molecular test result prior to checking in for any flight to remote communities or to southern destinations.
Additional testing kits will be provided to airlines at southern airports for travellers beginning their multi-flight transit back to a remote community.
A negative test result will allow unvaccinated travellers to continue their travel without the need for another test result for 72 hours (e.g., the test result could allow traveller to board multiple flights).
Refinements
The Government will take a flexible approach to implementing these accommodations, and will adjust as quickly as needed to ensure continuity of essential air services to remote communities. In addition, based on continued consultations with stakeholders and lessons learned during the early implementation period, the Government of Canada will continue to work with stakeholders to refine these accommodations.
The goal remains to ensure remote communities are able to realize the benefits of this strong COVID-19 mitigation measure immediately while facilitating travel that is essential for these remote communities.
The Government of Canada will also work to build testing capacity in remote communities through the provision of high quality rapid molecular tests.
In advance of November 30, the Government of Canada will work with provinces, territories and national Indigenous Organizations to refine the approach for the next phase of implementation. Ensuring an approach that achieves the overall health objectives while accommodating the needs and realities of remote communities remains a key priority.
For rail travel
The Government of Canada recognizes the unique needs of travellers from remote communities and wants to ensure they will be able to travel for their medical, health, or social well-being, and return safely to their homes.
- If you are a resident in a remote community serviced by VIA Rail between The Pas and Churchill, Manitoba, or are a resident of community serviced by Keewatin Railway Company, you are exempt from the requirement to demonstrate proof of vaccination or to present the results of a COVID-19 test until local testing capacity is in place.
- If you are a resident of a remote community for which VIA Rail may be the only means of transportation, you may also be exempt from these requirements. Please contact VIA Rail for more details.
This accommodation does not apply to onward rail journeys on the remainder of VIA Rail's network and does not apply to travelers who do not reside in these communities.
Annex A – Gateway airports
Transport Canada, working with communities and aviation stakeholders, will continue to monitor the list of Gateway airports to ensure Gateways are appropriately identified and provided with testing resources.
| Province/territory | Gateway airport |
|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador |
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| Nova Scotia |
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| Quebec |
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| Nunavut |
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| Ontario |
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| Manitoba |
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| Saskatchewan |
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| Northwest Territories |
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| Alberta |
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| British Columbia |
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| Yukon |
|
Annex B – Remote airports
- Ahousaht
- Aklavik
- Akulivik
- Alert Bay
- Arctic Bay
- Arviat
- Attawapiskat First Nation
- Aupaluk
- Baker Lake
- Bearskin Lake First Nation
- Beaver Creek
- Bella Bella
- Bella Coola
- Berens River
- Black Tickle
- Braeburn
- Brochet
- Burwash Landing
- Cambridge Bay
- Camsell Portage
- Carcross
- Carmacks
- Cat Lake First Nation
- Chapman
- Chesterfield Inlet
- Chevery
- Chipewyan Lake
- Chisasibi
- Churchill
- Clyde River
- Colville Lake
- Coral Harbour
- Cousins
- Cross Lake
- Dawson
- Dawson's Landing
- Dease Lake
- Deer Lake First Nation
- Deline
- Eabametoong First Nation
- Eagle Plains
- Eastmain River
- Echo Bay
- Ehattesaht
- Elk Island
- Faro
- Finlayson
- Fond-du-Lac
- Fort Albany First Nation
- Fort Chipewyan
- Fort Good Hope
- Fort McPherson
- Fort Nelson
- Fort Selkirk
- Fort Severn First Nation
- Fort Simpson
- Fort Smith
- Fort Ware
- Fox Lake
- Gamèti
- Gjoa Haven
- God's Lake Narrows
- God's River
- Grise Fiord
- Grosse Île
- Haines Junction
- Hall Beach (Sanirajak)
- Harrington Harbour
- Hartley Bay
- Hay River
- Hopedale
- Hot Springs Cove
- Hyland
- Igloolik
- Inukjuak
- Inuvik
- Iskut
- Island Lake
- Isle-aux-Grues
- Ivujivik
- Kangiqsualujjuaq
- Kangiqsujuaq
- Kangirsuk
- Kasabonika Lake First Nation
- Kashechewan First Nation
- Keewaywin First Nation
- Kegaska
- Keno
- Kimmirut
- Kingcome Village
- Kingfisher First Nation
- Kinngait
- Kitasoo
- Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation (Big Trout Lake First Nation)
- Kitkatla
- Klemtu
- Kugaaruk
- Kugluktuk
- Kuujjuaq
- Kuujjuarapik
- Kyuquot
- La Romaine
- La Tabatière
- Lac Brochet
- Little Grand Rapids
- Lutselk'e
- MacMillan Pass
- Makkovik
- Marten Falls First Nation
- Masset
- Mayo
- McQuestern
- Minstrel Island
- Minto
- Muskrat Dam Lake First Nation
- Nahanni Butte
- Nain
- Natashquan
- Natuashish
- Naujaat
- Némaska
- Neskantaga First Nation
- Nibinamik First Nation (Summer Beaver Band)
- Norman Wells
- North Caribou Lake First Nation (Round Lake First Nation)
- North Spirit Lake First Nation
- Norway House
- Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs (Heliport)
- Ocean Falls
- Old Crow
- Olgilvie
- Oona River
- Oxford House
- Pangnirtung
- Pauingassi
- Paulatuk
- Peawanuck
- Pelly Crossing
- Pikangikum First Nation
- Pine Lake
- Pond Inlet
- Poplar Hill First Nation
- Poplar River First Nation
- Port Simpson (Lax Kw'Alaams)
- Port-Menier
- Postville
- Pukatawagan
- Puvirnituq
- Qikiqtarjuaq
- Quaqtaq
- Rankin Inlet
- Red Sucker Lake
- Resolute
- Rigolet
- Ross River
- Sachigo Lake First Nation
- Sachs Harbour
- Saint-Augustin
- Salluit
- Sambaa K'e
- Sandspit
- Sandy Lake First Nation
- Sanikiluaq
- Schefferville
- Shamattawa
- Silver City
- Slate Falls First Nation
- South Indian Lake
- St. Theresa Point
- Stony Rapids
- Sullivan Bay
- Tadoule Lake
- Taloyoak
- Tasiujaq
- Telegraph Creek
- Teslin
- Tête-à-La-Baleine
- Tsay Keh
- Tuktoyaktuk
- Tulita
- Twin Creeks
- Uclucje / Ucluelet
- Ulukhaktok
- Umiujaq
- Uranium City
- Wapekeka First Nation
- Waskaganish
- Watson Lake
- Webequie First Nation
- Wekweeti
- Wemindji
- Whale Cove
- Whatì
- Williams Harbour
- Wollaston Lake
- Wrigley
- Wuikinuxv Village
- Wunnumin Lake First Nation
- Wylie
- York Factory First Nation
- Yuquot