Starting to feel seasick with the fourth “wave” of COVID-19 running through the city? Join the club. Despite no news of COVID passports from the Ontario Provincial Government, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce has announced guidelines designed to aid businesses in creating their own policies.
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Doug Ford’s Provincial Government has not yet given in to the demand for vaccine passports, leaving businesses on their own to enforce mandatory proof of vaccination themselves. So far, businesses from all industries have had to make the decision to either enforce proof of vaccination or put their staff and guests at risk.
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“We have said from the beginning that we support a centralized, Canada-wide approach to COVID-19 proof-of-vaccination that could be easily used to confirm vaccination status for international and domestic use. So… we’ve innovated and advanced a common framework for our Ontario business community”
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
Vax-Pass Tenets
Today the @OntarioCofC & #ONChamberNetwork released “Vax-Pass Tenets” developed with guidance from legal experts at @McCarthy_ca.
— Ontario Chamber (@OntarioCofC) August 24, 2021
The framework helps create clarity for Ontario businesses with shared confidence.
Read here: https://t.co/dATljKcful pic.twitter.com/mkzfAiGo7o
According to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, COVID-19 mandates for permitted entry are key in the prevention of further waves. Protecting the most vulnerable group of Ontarians is of utmost importance to the chamber and their vax-pass tenets are designed with them in mind.
The Five Vax-Pass Tenets
- Safety — businesses have an obligation to “take all reasonable steps necessary under the circumstances to protect the health and safety” of all those present and involved in their business
- Science — businesses acknowledge that requiring proof of vaccination is “consistent with the current science on COVID-19 and recommended public health best practices”
- Accommodation — businesses must avoid causing “undue hardship” under the Ontario Human Rights Code where it is applicable
- Privacy — businesses should use “the least intrusive mechanism” possible to check vaccination status and keep in mind privacy laws and guidance from experts
- Transparency — businesses should try to “engage in clear and ongoing dialogue” on the topic with both staff and customers, including expressing reasons for supporting the province’s vaccination program
