On October 30, 2021, the Government of Canada's COVID-19
vaccination mandate for all employees and travelers in the
federally regulated air, rail, and marine transportation sectors
took effect.1 On November 30, 2021, the transition
period will end, meaning that a negative COVID-19 molecular test
will no longer be accepted as an alternative to vaccination.
As discussed further below, this mandate has important
implications for federal transportation sector employers and
employees, as well as for all employers who require employees to
engage in air or rail travel as a component of their
employment.
Requirements for Employers
As of November 1, 2021 all employers in the federally regulated
air, rail and marine sector were required to have a vaccination
policy in place making COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for all
employees. Specifically, this requirement affects: