Alberta’s COVID-19 vaccine passport system comes into force today.

The program allows businesses and venues to operate without capacity limits and other public health measures if they require proof of vaccination or a negative test result from anyone entering.

After months of rejecting the premise of a vaccine passport, Premier Jason Kenney announced the sweeping new measures to combat the COVID-19 surge on Sept. 15, but under a different name: the restrictions exemption program.

The policy, which is not mandatory, applies at restaurants, nightclubs, casinos, concerts and fitness facilities.

When it was announced by Kenney last week, it also applied to