TORONTO — With just over a week to go, it looks almost certain now that the federal government will ease just about all of Canada’s remaining COVID-19 travel measures at the end of the month.

Bolstering earlier reports from the Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail is also now citing sources that say ArriveCAN will be optional effective Sept. 30, 2022, and that vaccination mandates for those entering Canada will be scrapped, along with random testing upon arrival.

The Globe quotes Audrey Champoux, spokesperson for Minister of Public Safety, Marco Mendicino, as saying the federal government is working in tandem with the industry to simplify the “process at the border and make travel easier and simpler for everyone.”

While these measures could be easing in a matter of days, it sounds as though the mask mandate for airports and air travel could stick around for a while longer. Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos is reportedly pushing for the mask mandate to stay in place at least until after the Thanksgiving holiday break.

Last month WestJet reiterated its opposition to the mask requirement, saying that mask compliance continues to be a major factor in disruptive behaviour onboard its aircraft.