
Vaccine mandates for domestic travel
This investigation examined whether the collection, use, and disclosure of traveller vaccination status by Transport Canada, VIA Rail, and CATSA complied with the Privacy Act. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner found that the personal information was collected, used, and disclosed in compliance with the Act's requirements. While the Act does not mandate necessity and proportionality, the OPC also considered these principles and found the measures were generally necessary and proportional, though recommended clearer definition of objectives and documentation of less privacy-invasive alternatives for future initiatives.
- Whether the collection of vaccination information was directly related to the operating programs or activities of CATSA and VIA Rail.
- Whether the use and disclosure of personal information, and the centralized collection by Transport Canada, complied with sections 4, 7, and 8 of the Privacy Act.
- Whether the collection of personal information was necessary and proportional, considering the circumstances and available alternatives.
Complaints not well-founded
The OPC found that the collection, use, and disclosure of vaccination information by the institutions were directly related to their operating programs and complied with sections 4, 7, and 8 of the Privacy Act. While the Act does not require necessity and proportionality, the OPC also found these measures to be largely necessary and proportional.
AI-generated summary for reference only. Always verify against the official decision ↗
Transport Canada accepted recommendations to more clearly define objectives and document assessments of less privacy-invasive alternatives for future initiatives.
- s. 4 Privacy Act
- s. 7 Privacy Act
- s. 8(2)(b) Privacy Act
This summary is informational only and not legal advice.

