Toronto, Peel Region reveal mandatory employee vaccination policies

Toronto and Peel Region jointly announced an employee vaccination policy on Thursday.

For the latter, all regional employees will have to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination status by the end of October. If they don’t, staff will have to complete an education session about the benefits of getting the shot, and if they still say no, they must undergo regular COVID-19 testing.

“Thanks to the commitment and vigilance of our staff, we have been able to maintain most of our services throughout the pandemic. This policy is meant to encourage our staff to get vaccinated to help our community find a path back to normal,” said Janice Baker, CAO of the Region of Peel.

Baker says additional details of the employee vaccination policy and activation date will be available later this fall.

Last week Toronto Mayor John Tory announced a mandatory vaccination policy for all city employees. Under the system, all members of the Toronto Public Service must disclose vaccination status and provide proof of vaccination by September 13.

Like Peel Region’s plan, staff who have not been vaccinated or do not disclose their vaccination status will attend mandatory education sessions.

“By September 30, unvaccinated staff will be required to have received and reported their first vaccine dose for a two-dose vaccine or have received a single-dose vaccine,” the City wrote in a news release.

By October 30, the City will require staff to have received their first and second doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. The City says employees who do not comply with this policy may be subject to discipline, “up to and including dismissal.”

Tory says it will comply with its human rights obligations, and employees who cannot obtain a COVID-19 vaccine under a protected ground set out in the Ontario Human Rights Code will be entitled to accommodation.

“We know that vaccines work. We know they prevent severe cases of COVID-19, and the instances of unvaccinated people ending up in our hospitals and ICUs is significantly higher,” Toronto’s Mayor said.

“We should protect the health and safety of our employees, their loved ones, and the residents and visitors we serve. This is the right thing to do, and it will ensure we continue to do everything we can as a City government to combat COVID-19 and bring this pandemic to an end.”

Faced with the province’s refusal to implement a COVID-19 proof-of-vaccination system, local public health units in Ontario are considering regional vaccine certificates.

Peel Region’s top doctor said this week that the COVID-19 hot spot is looking at options for a local proof-of-vaccination system if the province doesn’t develop one.

Dr. Lawrence Loh said Thursday that the idea, and discussions with other health units about it, are in early stages and likely won’t involve a new physical certificate or digital record.

“We’re looking at … ways to use existing proofs of vaccination,” he said, adding that it’s the health unit’s preference that the province develops the technology.

Ontario reported 678 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, with 537 infected people not vaccinated or with unknown vaccination status.