Quebecers will soon no longer have to show vaccine passports to access basic services and goods.
On Tuesday afternoon, Quebec premier Francois Legault announced that the province would completely phase out its vaccine passport system by March 14.
“We’re doing it because it’s the right time to do it – because it’s safe for public health. And as I said, it’s there when we need it,” said Quebec health minister Christian Dubé.
As of Feb. 16, Quebecers will no longer need to present proof of vaccination to enter big-box stores, liquor or cannabis stories.
By Feb. 21, Quebecers will not need to show their vaccine passports to enter places of worship or funerals.
Since the freedom convoy began, multiple provinces have dropped their public health restrictions.
Quebec now joins Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, PEI and Ontario in phasing out its vaccine passport system.
As for Quebec’s announcement last month that its vaccine passports would soon require booster shots to remain valid, interim director of public health Dr. Luc Boileau said that it was unfeasible.
“We cannot move forward with a standardized vaccine passport with three doses because a lot of Quebecers, at least two million, maybe 2.5 or three million, have been infected recently, and we suggest they wait until eight to 12 weeks before receiving the third doses,” he said.
The latest decision to abandon the vaccine passport system is a total reversal to Quebec’s prior approach to the pandemic, which saw the province impose some of the harshest measures in the Western world.
In January, Legault was entertaining the idea of instituting a health tax for unvaccinated residents in the province. Additionally, the Quebec government moved to ban unvaccinated Canadians from big box stores, requiring them to have store escorts to enter pharmacy sections.
Masks will continue to be required for Quebec schools, however, and domestic travel by air or rail for unvaccinated Canadians remains prohibited.
