Premier Scott Moe says COVID-19 vaccines will not be mandated in Sask.

Scott Moe, premier of Saskatchewan, speaks at a COVID-19 news update at the Legislative Building in Regina on Wednesday March 18, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michael Bell

SASKATOON -

Premier Scott Moe says his government will not be mandating COVID-19 vaccinations in Saskatchewan.

Moe issued a statement Friday which said getting a vaccination is a personal choice and should not be imposed by governments.

“The Government of Saskatchewan will not be implementing mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations. While we strongly encourage everyone to get vaccinated to protect yourself and others from serious illness, in Saskatchewan this is a personal choice,” the statement said.

The premier’s stance was made clear after the federal health minister said provinces should consider mandating vaccinations.

“What we see now is that our health care system in Canada is fragile, our people are tired. And, the only way that we know to get through COVID-19, this variant and any future variant, is through vaccination," Jean-Yves Duclos told reporters during a COVID-19 briefing on Friday.

Duclos said that it’s his personal view, but one that is based on conversations with his provincial health minister counterparts and informed by what he’s been tracking both domestically and internationally. “Whether it be they move forward or not, that's going to be their decision to make,” he said.

According to the latest federal figures, more than 87 per cent of Canadians aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated. However, millions of Canadians have chosen to not receive a single COVID-19 vaccine dose.