Some Ontario businesses believe vaccine passports will avoid them going bankrupt
The owner of a storied Toronto music venue says its revenues are a tenth of what they were before the pandemic — and a vaccine passport might be one way to stop live music venues from going bankrupt.
Jeff Cohen of The Horseshoe Tavern — where top acts have played for more than 70 years — says his and other venues are hoping the province implements a vaccine passport as one way to move on from the capacity limits of Stage 3 of Ontario's reopening plan.
"We're open to 11 per cent of our capacity," Cohen said. From a health perspective, maybe we shouldn't be at 100 per cent capacity, but 11 per cent is crazy. We're struggling."
"Staying in Stage 3 until February? You're going to see live music venues go bankrupt," he said.
The Horseshoe Tavern has an outdoor patio and tables inside that are spaced apart, he said. But it's hard to attract bands to play for a seated audience, and on top of that, many bands are not playing shows without vaccine passports, he said.
"It gives confidence to the ticket buyer, and it makes bands and staff feel good," he said. "If there are 300 bands in Toronto you have maybe 20 of them playing right now."
A vaccine passport would require someone to prove they have been vaccinated to enter non-essential venues such as restaurants and concert halls.
One has been implemented in Quebec, and will soon be a reality in Manitoba and B.C.
Alberta, Saskatchewan and PEI have implemented a standardized vaccination card, but have not attached it to any requirements to enter a venue.
Other Atlantic provinces and Ontario have no stated plans to implement vaccine passports, though sources say with an announcement this week, things could change.
In the meantime, an app gold rush has begun as different companies vie to be a provider for such a service.
Dr. Elaine Chin of Innovation Health Group is pitching its app as a solution to track multiple streams of vaccine data securely.
"No one is safe until all of us are safe and with the variants we need everyone to be vaccinated, and prove they're vaccinated to go indoors, as we go to the winter," she said.
Cohen said he wants to implement his own vaccine passport plan — but is also hoping to avoid the backlash and protests that have come to more outspoken venues.
"We'd like to see everyone do it at once," he said. "We don't want to be the guinea pig that steps forward but we do believe in it 100 per cent."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.