Horgan backs ‘vaccine passports’ for international travel, hesitant about day-to-day use

B.C. Premier John Horgan says he supports the idea of “vaccine passports” for returning travellers, but is hesitant about requiring proof of vaccination for other activities.

Horgan weighed in on the concept during a media availability, during which he said B.C. remains aligned with the federal government over the concept.

“When it comes to travel, international travel specifically, there’s an absolute need to make sure that you can certify that you’ve been vaccinated coming into a community,” Horgan said.

“But in regular activities in Richmond or Vancouver or Victoria or Kelowna we don’t see the value of that at this time, but we’ll continue to monitor it and if there’s a need to change.”

Horgan said proof of vaccination was on the agenda when Prime Minister Trudeau spoke with premiers at their weekly meeting, where most provincial leaders agreed the measure was necessary for travellers.

Implementing them for social activities like sports or live events “strikes me as counterproductive,” he added.

5:33 Will you need a vaccine passport?

Trudeau also weighed in on the concept Friday, warning that requiring proof of vaccination for day-to-day activities raised “questions of equity,” noting that some Canadians aren’t eligible for vaccination, while others will still be waiting months to get theirs.

“These are things that we have to take into account, so that yes, we’re looking to try and encourage everyone to get vaccinated as quickly as possible, but we’re not discriminating and bringing in unfairness in the process at the same time,” Trudeau said.

Vaccine validation is a hot topic across the globe as countries prepare for a post-pandemic world. In Israel the so-called “green pass” gives people with proof of vaccination  access to travel and public venues.

More than 2.7 million doses of vaccine have been administered nationally so far, while in B.C., 293,719 people, or about 5.7 per cent of B.C.’s population have received at least one dose.

— With files from the Canadian Press