Ontario businesses, enforcement bodies brace for learning curve on COVID-19 vaccine certificates
Pub manager Crystal Meikle is used to pivoting with the shifting rules for businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But Ontario's proof-of-vaccination policy, set to take effect on Wednesday, treads into new territory, she said, since workers will be tasked with asking customers to show they are immunized against the virus.
"The pushback is where I get a little nervous," Meikle said on a recent afternoon shift at the Queen's Head pub in east Toronto. "It's the unknown of how somebody is going to react."
Last week the province outlined its guidelines for businesses required to make the checks. Patrons at dine-in restaurants, nightclubs, gyms, sports facilities and other venues must present a receipt of full vaccination and identification. Doctors' notes for medical exemptions will also be accepted.
Fines are on the table for businesses that don't comply with the checks and for patrons who give false information. But businesses, by-law officers, police forces and the province say enforcement will be gentle until the policy's impact starts to play out on the ground -- with much of the heavy lifting falling to businesses' frontline staff.
Several Ontario police forces contacted by The Canadian Press indicated they would respond to safety-related calls regarding threats or violence but would not actively enforce or check for compliance with the vaccination policy.
A spokesman for Ontario's Solicitor General said the province doesn't expect police to conduct "routine compliance checks" of the vaccination receipts.
Joe Couto, communications director with the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, said police forces would wait for calls to come in related to the policy before deciding whether to redeploy or adjust resources.
"The question I've been asked is, are police going to be needing new resources or shifting resources to deal with the rollout of certification," he said. "The short answer to that is, we really don't know, because the province is still developing not only its policies, but how it will actually practically work."
By-law officers will likely be the enforcement body responsible for issuing non-compliance tickets. In Toronto, the city said it would take an "educational approach" with businesses as the new rules roll out. It asked people to be respectful and to call 311 with non-compliance concerns.
A Ministry of Labour spokeswoman said inspectors would also be visiting affected settings, "taking an education first approach to help workers and the public stay safe and keep businesses open."
On the ground, businesses spent last week sorting out how they would assign staff to the task of checking for immunization status.
Venues that sell alcohol are used to checking IDs, but pub manager Meikle said the vaccine receipt requirement might take some getting used to for staff and customers.
She said the job may fall to employees who greet people in different sections like at the bar or as customers arrive to be seated.
People will need to show paper or digital vaccination receipts until next month, when the province has promised a QR code with individuals' vaccination records and an app for businesses to verify them -- something Meikle said she wished had been ready for the policy's launch.
"I think it would be a lot easier and helpful for us to manage," she said of the QR code.
Gavin Holmes, owner of Gio Rana's restaurant, said hosting staff would be checking for vaccination proof.
It's the latest additional task for staff to take on during the pandemic, but Holmes said a staffing shortage in the industry makes it difficult to bring more people onto shifts.
"Employing somebody else would be great, but it just isn't feasible right now," he said in the dining room of his Toronto establishment.
He said his business intends to comply with what's expected.
"We're just basically taking it all in our stride," he said. "We fully support what we have to do so long as we can stay open."
The staffing juggle required will play out differently depending on the business type.
Restaurants Canada vice president James Rilett said some quick service establishments that typically don't have someone working at the door are considering bringing another staff member on each shift to check proof of vaccination.
Those that can't afford it are considering not opening their dining rooms at all, he said, adding that the considerations are tough for restaurants already struggling with finances after a year of on-and-off closures.
"They can't afford it, but they really can't afford to not be open either," Rilett said by phone.
Health Minister Christine Elliott and Toronto mayor John Tory have both said they don't expect non-compliance to be a major issue.
Meikle said she's hopeful patrons at her pub will respond well, as they have to previous rule changes. But she said the sensitive topic of vaccination will be a new conversation with many regular customers.
"I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," she said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people are dead following a collision in Fredericton Sunday morning.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
Video shows gaggle of geese stopping traffic on Highway 1 near Vancouver
A mother goose and her goslings caused a bit of a traffic jam on a busty stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway near Vancouver Saturday.
'The Fall Guy' gives Hollywood a muted summer kickoff with a US$28.5M opening
"The Fall Guy," the Ryan Gosling-led, action-comedy ode to stunt performers, opened below expectations with US$28.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, providing a lukewarm start to a summer movie season that's very much to be determined for Hollywood.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc insists
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.