Prominent CEO calls for the scrapping of vaccine mandates for employees
The Federal government has extended its COVID-19 border restrictions until the end of the month — but businesses are having none of it.
In an announcement from the Public Health Agency of Canada, all tourists coming in the country will need to present proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Travellers - regardless of citizenship and vaccination status - will need to submit their health information through the ArriveCAN application before entering the country.
These measures will remain until June 31, as per the extension announced by the government on Wednesday.
Lift vaccine mandates for workers
However, the extended regulations do not seem to fit well with businesses in the country - with chief executive officers (CEOs) themselves airing their dismay on social media.
Monette Pasher, interim president of the Canadian Airports Council, called on the government to ease the vaccine mandate for air transport security and border workers so employees may return to work.
"Remove vaccination mandates for Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and Canada Border Services Agency workers," read one of the recommendations from the travel and tourism industry leaders.
This will help alleviate the pressure on the system, they said.
Meanwhile, WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech also called for the scrapping of vaccine mandates for employees.
"Vaccine mandate for air travellers and employees needs to be dropped. As vaccines are not preventing the spreading of the virus since #omicron, there is no more logic to maintain it," he said on Twitter.
"This will also relax some of the operational challenges at the airports."
Read more: Mandated vaccines: HR's biggest legal concerns
More being recruited
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra previously said in late May that the CATSA is already working with contractors to increase the number of screening officers to reduce bottleneck at airports.
According to the minister, CATSA is already close to recruiting their target number of screening officers for the summer in many airports, including Toronto Pearson International Airport and Vancouver International Airport.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended the extension of travel restrictions after pushback from businesses.
"The reality is, as much as people would like to pretend we're not, we're still in a pandemic. There are Canadians who die every single day because of COVID-19," he said.