Minister of Labour, Seamus O’Regan Jr., has announced the Government of Canada will propose regulations under Part II of the Canada Labour Code, to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory in all federally regulated workplaces cross Canada.

In a release, the Federal Government says, “these regulations would complement existing occupational health and safety measures, such as masking, handwashing, and physical distancing”.

Ottawa also said it will help federally regulated businesses implement the new vaccination requirements, but didn’t elaborate on how.

Mandatory vaccination requirements are already in place for the public sector, employees working in the federally regulated air, rail, and marine transportation sectors, and travelers on these modes of transportation.

There are approximately 18,500 employers in federally regulated industries who employee around 955,000 people.

That’s about six percent of Canada’s work force.

Ottawa says those numbers do not include federal public service.

Federally regulated employers who do not comply with the new policies will be subject to compliance and enforcement measures that could include monetary penalties.