A new proof of vaccine passport will soon be needed if you want to travel by train or airplane, either within Canada or abroad.

The new plan, unveiled by Prime Minister Trudeau last Thursday, will require each province and territory to issue a “standardized pan-Canadian” passport that will be recognized across the country and around the world.

Currently, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Yukon have issued passports with the required credentials demanded of the federal government, which include the passport holder's name and date of birth, information on the vaccines they have received – which types, how many doses, and when they were administered, as well as a QR code.

Currently, B.C.’s vaccine passport is not compatible with the new system. The B.C. passport only displays the holder’s name and vaccine status. Speaking to reporters, B.C. Premier John Horgan said B.C. is still working with the federal government to prepare for the launch of the new system on Oct. 30, and that he understands there will be a grace period during which the province's existing vaccine card will be accepted for travel. However, he could not say how long that grace period might last.

Horgan said he understands the need for more detailed disclosure while travelling, and argued B.C.'s limited passport achieved its intended purpose of putting residents more at ease when getting back to some of their pre-pandemic activities like watching spectator sports.