Starting September 22, Ontarians over the age of 12 will need to present their vaccination passport to gain access to restaurants, bars, sporting and cultural events, theaters and cinemas. The QR code and app are expected to make their debut on October 22 only.
Doug Ford made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon, recalling that he did not want to come to this and that he would have preferred a federal solution.
The business community welcomes the introduction of the vaccine passport with relief, when it has already been asking for it for months.
The general director of the Regroupement des gens d’affaires de la capital nationale (RGA), Lise Sarazin adds that this is not another step for traders since they already had to ask customers to sign a register.
At this point, I think citizens are already used to providing evidence in a certain way.
The goal is to keep businesses open and that requires the population to be reassured that people who enter these establishments are doubly vaccinated.
, she argues in an interview.
Ms. Sarazin explains that the population is more comfortable going to establishments where people have been vaccinated and that the vaccination passport becomes an essential tool to ensure this. I also think we have to think about what is good for our economy
, she adds.
Lise Sarazin is Executive Director of the Regroupement des gens d’affaires de la capital nationale (Archives)
Photo: Radio-Canada / Simon Lasalle
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Like Mrs. Sarazin, the owner of the Moulin de Provence, Claude Bonnet believes that the arrival of the vaccine passport does indeed add an additional task to restaurateurs.
We become police officers, we are now at the point of managing public order, it becomes complex
, he underlines, in an interview. Mr. Bonnet also emphasizes having received threats and having had to deal with some recalcitrant in recent weeks.
Claude Bonnet, owner of the Moulin de Provence in the Byward Market (Archives)
Photo: Radio-Canada / Jean-François Poudrier
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He adds that the situation is all the more difficult for traders who, like him, have several accesses. How can I manage to manage all the doors at the same time?
he asks.
It will cause us a lot of management hassle.
Despite the additional difficulties, Mr. Bonnet assures that he is in favor of this measure and that he will implement it, like all the others. I think it’s something responsible for the whole country
, ends the one in which all the staff is vaccinated. Me, my concern is to protect everyone.
Discriminatory health measure
While the business community as a whole welcomes the measure, others resign themselves to it, not without protesting.
The general manager of Altitude Gym in Kanata, Nancy Asselin says to herself very off-putting in the face of this discriminatory health measure
.
Ms. Asselin anticipates a drop in attendance in the coming weeks.% today “,” text “:” We can already see a 30% drop in customers today “}}”>We are already seeing a 30% drop in customers today, while the vaccine passport has just entered into force in Quebec. It doesn’t necessarily bode well for the future
, she adds.
The Director General points out that this measure is in addition to a series of other measures already in place to ensure customer safety. It creates a traffic jam at the reception
, she says. Ms. Asselin is considering hiring additional staff to remedy the situation.
This is another additional expense that the government imposes on restaurateurs, retail businesses and gyms which, I would like to remind you, have been greatly impacted by COVID-19.
Even if the vaccination passport adds to everyone’s shoulders, we are not going to close our doors temporarily
, she assures.
Mayor of Ottawa satisfied
In a tweet released earlier Wednesday, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and City Councilor, Keith Egli, said to themselves happy with today’s announcement
.
Please see my joint statement with @KeithEgli following Premier Ford’s announcement to implement a proof of vaccination program for high risk settings across Ontario. pic.twitter.com/qbS0QxjZEF
— Jim Watson (@JimWatsonOttawa) September 1, 2021
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They believe that the vaccination passport will be able to prevent further economic and social disruption
, can we read on Twitter.
Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) is also very satisfied
. I think that’s what we need
, he emphasizes in an interview.
The latter believes that the introduction of the passport will increase vaccine flow
while allowing better control of the spread of the virus, in a context where the Delta variant is gaining ground.
In response to public protests about being required to present their evidence in restaurants, Dr Roumeliotis says[que la province] rather targeted the places where we know well that we have already had [éclosions].
If people are all vaccinated [dans le restaurant], the risk [de contracter la COVID-19], it is minimal.
The latter recalls that the measure is only temporary and that it should be withdrawn once collective immunity has been achieved. He said five million Ontarians are still unvaccinated, half of whom are children.
Once the children are vaccinated, he argues, the measure could be withdrawn.
With information from Fiona Collienne and Gabriel Le Marquand Perreault
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