Travellers at busy Pearson Airport in Mississauga must be fully vaccinated to board flights

Starting today, all travellers aged 12 and older who are flying out of Pearson Airport in Mississauga must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or they won’t be allowed to board their flights. 

The federal government’s grace period, during which travellers who weren’t fully vaccinated could still board flights at Canadian airports as long as they showed they had tested negative for the virus, ended at 3 a.m. this morning (Nov. 30). 

Under the travel regulations, announced by Ottawa in October, the same rules apply to those looking to board VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains as well as people looking to travel on non-essential marine vessels such as cruise ships.  

Mississauga travellers and people across Ontario can show their vaccine certificate QR code and verification app to board flights out of Pearson.   

The Chaos at Pearson Airport Toronto: No Social Distancing, we were all crammed together for over an hour. We also had to get tested again. pic.twitter.com/ufrOWykaDk

— Greta 🌺 🇬🇬 🇬🇧 🇨🇦 🚛 (@serenityonline1) November 29, 2021

The new travel restrictions are part of the Canadian government’s mandatory vaccine policy unveiled recently by the prime minister. The mandate also required public servants to either get their shots by Nov. 1 or face an unpaid leave of absence.   

To qualify as a “fully vaccinated traveller,” a person must have received a full series of a Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine, or a combination of approved shots, with the last dose having been received at least 14 days prior to the day of travel.    

The number of travellers taking flights out of Pearson Airport has been on the rise since the Canadian government lifted a blanket advisory against all non-essential travel outside the country in September.  

Numerous travellers are still reporting lengthy waits and chaotic conditions inside Pearson Airport terminals, and note that social distancing is not being practiced.  

Travelling Canadians are advised to visit the World Health Organization website to stay informed of COVID-19 activity at their destination, especially since the discovery last week of the new Omicron variant of the virus.  

Holy crap Pearson airport was NUTS this morning! So glad we weren’t flying internationally … that was even worse … almost 2 hours to wait to get through security! pic.twitter.com/iiHVVHVP0g

— Leanne Lawrance (@rblhrt) November 29, 2021