City of Toronto cancelling some recreation classes as vaccine policy yields staffing shortages

TORONTO -

The City of Toronto says it will be cancelling some recreational classes as it deals with staff shortages resulting from the implementation of its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy.

The cancellations could include fitness classes, swimming lessons, sports, dance, art and other general interest activities.

“Our staff are working to address any impacts to programming and working in real time to implement mitigation efforts with the goal of continuing to offer as many of our fall programs as possible,” City Manager Chris Murray said in a news release Tuesday evening.

“I strongly encourage everyone to receive a full course of the COVID-19 vaccine to help protect our community and each other.”

Managers and supervisors in the Parks, Forestry & Recreation division are meeting this week with part-time recreation workers who have not yet complied with the municipality’s vaccination policy.

The policy required all city employees to have received a full course of COVID-19 shots by Oct. 30. While 91 per cent of workers in the division are fully vaccinated, some are not.

If the remaining staff do not provide proof of vaccination this week, they will be suspended for up to six weeks or until proof of vaccination is provided.

The city said it will be contacting anyone affected by the class cancellations and they will receive credits on their accounts for the missed classes.

The city noted that a cancelled class does not indicate that the instructor for that class is unvaccinated as the city is shuffling around staff to fill in where people are needed the most.

“The city’s vaccination mandate policy is about protecting worker health and safety, as well as the public the city serves,” the city said in its release.

“Staff are being reassigned to ensure all health and safety protocols are maintained, including child care ratios, lifeguards and cleaning protocols. Staff are prioritizing after-school programs for children and can confirm the city’s After-School Recreation Care program (ARC) will not be affected.”

Managers are trying to avoid class cancellations as much as possible by reallocating staff to registered instructional programs, using overtime and placing newly-hired staff where possible.

In its release, the city said that it “does not anticipate impacts to critical and priority services.”

“Emergency response by Toronto Police, Toronto Fire Services or Toronto Paramedic Services will not be impacted as a result of the COVID-19 vaccination policy.”

Officials have said that employees who do not comply with the vaccination policy by Dec. 13 will be terminated with cause.

The city said last week that 248 staff members have been suspended without pay for non-compliance with the policy while another 51 were placed on leaves of absence pending a review of their requests for accommodation.

- With files from Chris Fox