With the policy change likely prompting even more of an influx in travellers descending on Canadian airports, the transport minister faced several questions about whether the government is equipped to adequately handle the added crowds. Rather, the ministers cited the virus' evolution, the current epidemiological and modelling projections, and the high vaccination rate in Canada as key factors in lifting the mandates now. On Tuesday, ministers said that the federal governmentвЂ™s вЂњtop priorityвЂќ remains keeping Canadians safe, and that this decision is not related to easing the strain at Canadian airports, which they attribute to 'staffing shortages.' Throughout these calls, the Liberals have defended the mandates, repeatedly referring to the need to follow the science and advice of public health officials. Canada's COVID-19 travel restrictions: What's changing and what stays in place.

In recent months, pressure has been mounting for the government to lift the travel vaccination requirements from opposition politicians and the travel industry, citing the significant strains and delays at Canadian airports, as well as the easing provincial public health rules. The federal mandates requiring all passengers on planes or trains to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before boarding were first promised by the Liberals during the last federal election, and came into effect in October 2021.

Capital Dispatch: Stay up to date on the latest news from Parliament Hill.

'It's clear that the COVID situation is not the same now as it was last fall when we implemented the vaccine mandate.' We've done our homeworkвЂ¦ What got us today was a period of discussions, of consultations, of looking at the big picture, of preparing ourselves for a potential wave in the fall, but the current situation today,' Alghabra said. 'The decision today is not based on something that we woke up yesterday or this morning, and decided to do. The Canadian government says this move is coming now 'following a successful vaccination campaign.' Nearly 90 per cent of eligible Canadians are vaccinated against COVID-19. Though, should case counts climb again, federal officials say they wonвЂ™t hesitate to reinstate any suspended COVID-19 travel restrictions. In revealing the updated policies, government says the mandates have been effective through the thick of the pandemic, but were never meant to be permanent.

Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, and Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos made the announcement on Tuesday, alongside major updates to CanadaвЂ™s vaccine mandates for transportation workers, and federal employees. Many countries, including the U.S., continue to require proof of vaccination upon entry. The requirement to use the ArriveCAN app to show proof of vaccination upon arrival to avoid a federal quarantine will continue, and all travellers will have to continue to abide by other country's entry requirements, potentially limiting the destinations unvaccinated travellers will be able to visit. Foreign nationals coming to Canada will still be required to be vaccinated in order to enter, though they would be able to depart the country if unvaccinated.ДЇurther, 'due to the unique nature of cruise ship travel,' the vaccination requirements for passengers and crew of cruise ships will remain in effect.

You netflix vaccine