Anti-vaccine rally held outside Queen’s Park, across city as Ford announces certificate system

Hundreds of protestors gathered outside Queen’s Park on Wednesday as Premier Doug Ford revealed the mandated vaccine certificate system.

Some held signs that read “I will not obey,” with others chanting “no vaccine passports.”

Toronto Police tweeted about a large demonstration of people walking on Yonge Street towards Queen Street West.

TPS said officers were called to help ensure safety adding that delays are expected in the area.

#BREAKING Moments after Premier Doug Ford announced a vaccine certificate system for Ontario, a couple thousand people began marching down Yonge Street in protest. @680NEWS @680NEWStraffic pic.twitter.com/bZ3uFr3awI

— Mark Douglas (@DouglasCityNews) September 1, 2021

LIVE: Huge protest against vaccine passport forms at Queen's Park. pic.twitter.com/qFs4DBBEuP

— CrasHTalk (@CrasTalk) September 1, 2021

Ford made a note of the possibility of those acting out against the vaccine certificate system, calling on people to gather outside Queen’s Park where they can “do cartwheels or whatever they want down here.”

He did urge residents not to scold those working under sectors that will require proof of vaccination starting September 22 in the form of a vaccine receipt. Under the new rules, people are considered fully vaccinated if 14 days have passed since they received the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The province is expected to launch a system in late October that will send everyone a QR code to accompany their vaccination receipt. It will also launch an app that will allow service providers to scan the QR codes as proof of vaccination.

The Premier admitted he was against the idea of mandating a vaccine certificate, criticizing the Federal government for focusing on an election rather than a national vaccine passport system.

“This is something that I did not want to do. This is a serious step that we’re not taking lightly,” Ford told reporters.

“Let me be clear, this is a temporary tool that we won’t use for a day longer than we have to.”

Ford has long pushed back against the idea, saying as recently as July 15 he was “not going to do it” and that he was not in favour of having a “split society.”

Update, Sept. 8, 2021: This article was initially published with an image from an anti-lockdown march in Peterborough in April 2021. That incorrect image has been removed. We apologize for the error.