VANCOUVER (REUTERS) - The Canadian province of British Columbia will require patrons of non-essential businesses such as restaurants and movie theatres to be vaccinated against Covid-19 from Sept 13, the government said Monday (Aug 23).

The vaccine requirement will also cover fitness studios along with sporting events, concerts, weddings and other private and public indoor social events, health officials said.

British Columbia, Canada's western-most province, is reporting some of the country's highest rates of new Covid-19 cases per capita and recently mandated vaccines for staff of long-term care homes.

The province reported 663 new cases on Friday, the most recent data available.

People wanting to enter a non-essential business must have at least one dose of vaccine starting Sept 13 and both doses by Oct 24, Premier John Horgan said.

"There's no reason those who are anxious to participate in the social and economic life of our community can't take that next step and get that safe, effective vaccine," Mr Horgan told reporters.

Quebec was the first province to bring in vaccine passports for non-essential businesses earlier in August.

Vaccine mandates are becoming an election issue in Canada's ongoing federal election, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau triggered on Aug 15.

Mr Trudeau's centre-left Liberal party brought in mandatory vaccines for federal workers before the election was called and has supported calls for further mandates, as have the left-leaning New Democrats. Canada's Conservative party has said such mandates would impede individual freedom.

Currently, 73 per cent of Canadians aged 12 and over are fully vaccinated, according to government data.

The majority of Canadians are in favour of widespread vaccine mandates, a poll by Nanos Research in early August found, with 74 per cent supporting or somewhat supporting such a measure.