Alberta and Saskatchewan may have started lifting vaccine passport rules with plans to ditch masking requirements, but Ontario’s not about to play follow the leader just yet.

”We have no plans currently to drop the passport vaccination situation or masking,” says Health Minister Christine Elliott.

”We believe that masking is going to be important for some time to come.”

Elliott adds the province has always said it’s gong to take a ”very cautious, phased, prudent approach” to opening up and that’s the path Ontario is going to follow.

The province started gradually relaxing restrictions January 31, with more being rolled back February 21 and March 14.

The health minister’s indicating the province plans to stick to that timeline, saying Ontario wants to remove restrictions ”as soon as we can,” based on scientific advice.