The Senate has decided to follow suit with the House of Commons in lifting its COVID-19 vaccine mandate on June 20.
This means that starting Monday, there will no longer be requirements to show proof of vaccination in order to enter any of the House or Senate buildings on Parliament Hill.
The decision to "suspend" the vaccination requirement for Senate workplaces was made by the steering committee of the Senate's Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration Committee, citing the high vaccination rate among staff, the decreasing cases, and easing of regional restrictions.
"Today鈥檚 decision means that Senate staff members do not need to be vaccinated as a condition of employment," reads a statement from the committee.
The change also applies to journalists, visitors, guests, contractors, volunteers and interns. The Senate Speaker's office confirmed that as of Monday, senators will also no longer be required to be vaccinated.
Other COVID-19 preventative measures are remaining in place, including the requirement to wear face masks. This is similar to the approach taken in the House of Commons, which announced the lifting of its vaccination requirements for MPs, staff and others on Thursday.
