Report: Unvaccinated MLB Players May Be Unable to Enter Canada to Play Blue Jays In 2022

Canada will no longer grant a national interest exemption to unvaccinated professional athletes as of January 15th, per a CBC report

Changing government guidelines may impact who can come play the Blue Jays next season.

While unvaccinated MLB, NBA, and NHL players have been allowed to enter Canada under a national interest exemption to compete against the country's professional sports teams, as of January 15th, 2022 they will no longer be able to, according to a CBC report.

"As of January 15th, there will no longer be an exemption in place for professional and amateur athletes," minister of public safety Marco Mendicino said, per the CBC report.

Major League Baseball's unvaccinated players were able to enter Canada to play the Blue Jays during the final months of the 2022 season, abiding additional guidelines, but the country's policy will be changing "due to the wide availability of vaccines." The restrictions would likely also apply to unvaccinated members of the Blue Jays attempting to play in Canada, where the organization plans on hosting 81 regular season home games next season.

Last season, Major League Baseball had no mandatory vaccination policy, but allowed teams with at least 85 percent vaccination to function under fewer restrictions. The league announced a requirement for all minor leaguers to be vaccinated prior to the 2022 season, but has not set a similar MLB standard.

The Blue Jays surpassed MLB's imposed 85 percent threshold in June, 2021, reaching at least 93% vaccinated near the end of the season, per a team source. As of September 15th, the Jays were one of 24 MLB teams with an 85% or higher vaccination rate.

H/T CBC