KAWARTHA LAKES-Unvaccinated truckers are exempt from the vaccine border crossing mandates if they are delivering COVID vaccines and other related supplies according to Health Canada. They are also exempt from testing and quarantine requirements at the border.
“The purpose of this amendment is to clarify that those involved in commercial transport who are transporting medically necessary supplies remain exempt from the vaccination requirement to enter Canada,” Health Canada said in a statement to Kawartha 411 News this afternoon.
Truckers have been protesting the vaccine mandate for crossing the border into the US imposed by the federal government in January. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau refused to meet with the truckers and would not consider dropping the mandate saying it was for our “safety”.
“We’ve heard your frustration with COVID, with the measures that are there to keep people safe. We’ve heard you. It’s time to go home now.” said Trudeau.
Meanwhile, in an “order of Council” published in January as the mandate was taking effect Health Canada states that unvaccinated truckers who transport certain medical products, parts or items related to COVID-19 are exempt:
“a person who seeks to enter Canada for the purpose of delivering, installing, maintaining or repairing medically necessary supplies, equipment or devices;
(i) a person who seeks to enter Canada for the purpose of donating or making medical deliveries of stem cells, blood and blood products, tissues, organs or other body parts that are required for patient care in Canada while this Order is in effect or within a reasonable period of time after the expiry of this Order.”
People with work permits under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations are also exempt as well as a driver taking students to or from school according to the order:
“a person who has been issued a valid work permit under subparagraph 200(1)(c)(ii.1) or (iii) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations or a person whose application for a work permit was approved under those subparagraphs and who received written notice of the approval, but who has not yet been issued the permit, provided that the permit authorizes the person to perform work in a unit group referred to in the schedule and set out in the National Occupational Classification that was developed by the Department of Employment and Social Development and Statistics Canada and published in 2016.”
“a driver of a conveyance who enters Canada from the United States to drop off a student enrolled in a listed institution or to pick the student up from that institution.”
Unvaccinated truckers transporting COVID related items are also exempt from testing and quarantine requirements according to Health Canada:
“To briefly summarize the following requirements: Unvaccinated operators of a commercial vehicle transporting goods by land, but not rail, or entering Canada to do so, are subject to the new CPHO requirement.
If they would usually be exempt from entry requirements only because they are crew, or working in trade and transport, they must now undergo a pre-arrival test, quarantine, and test in Canada, unless their reason for entry concerns transportation of medical equipment, blood products, or body parts required for patient care.” states the order.
Police from across Canada have been deployed to remove the truckers by force if necessary while the government quietly allowed certain unvaccinated truckers to continue to cross the border.
