Alberta Announces Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination Program – September 15, 2021

At news conferences taking place in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, Tyler Shandro, the Alberta minister of health, and Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, provide an update on the provincial response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Kenney announces Alberta will introduce a COVID-19 proof of vaccination program for certain non-essential activities, starting September 20. A negative test option will be offered as an alternative. He also announces a state of public health emergency.

New provincewide public-health restrictions will also come into effect on September 16. Additional measures that target businesses and events such as weddings and funeral will come into force on September 20. Kenney has initially resisted the idea of creating a proof of vaccination program due to privacy concerns, but he acknowledges it is now the only responsible choice that the government has. Alberta is introducing the system and the new restrictions amid a surge of COVID-19 cases and unvaccinated patients overwhelming the province's hospitals. (September 15, 2021)