How Will Ontario’s Vaccine Certificate Affect Travellers?
September 2, 2021 Marsha Mowers
Vaccine certificates will be coming to Canada’s most populous province on September 22.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Wednesday said proof of vaccination will be required at movie theatres, concert venues, casinos, sporting events and gyms, as well as for indoor dining. It won’t apply to general retail stores for now, however.
(The Ford government, which was reluctant to endorse vaccine passports, is calling the program an “enhanced COVID-19 vaccine certificate” system).
But what does that mean for out-of-province visitors? Will proof of vaccination from other provinces and countries be accepted, and if so, how will it be verified?
After all, we certainly can’t expect every restaurant worker to know how to recognize proof of vaccinations from places outside Ontario.
The Ministry of Health says that more tools will be available in the coming weeks.
“Individuals visiting from outside the province or the country will be required to show their full vaccination status and identification to enter prescribed settings,” Alexandra Hilkene, Ministry of Health, told Canadian Travel News in an email.
“Ontario will develop and provide additional tools to improve user experience, efficiency, and business supports in the coming weeks, including ensuring verification of fully vaccinated individuals from outside of province or country.”
Fines for fake documents start at $750 for individuals. There has not been any update on fines for businesses who knowingly or unknowingly, allow unvaccinated patrons in.
Those eligible for a vaccine certificate must have both doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, which will allow them to visit casinos, concert venues, theatres, cinemas, sporting facilities and events, banquet halls, bingo halls, convention centres, nightclubs and to eat at indoor food and drink establishments. Officials said that a certificate is not necessary for retail shopping, salons and barbershops, banks, places of worship, essential services, workplaces or patios and other outdoor spaces.
About the Author
Marsha Mowers made the move to editorial side of travel after many years working in destination marketing where she represented places such as NYC and Las Vegas. Her experience on “both sides” of the industry has put her in a unique position to provide valuable context to both readers and trade partners. Marsha also serves as Director of Content for TravelPulse Canada
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