Businesses Applaud Ontario’s Proof of Vaccination Plan

We thank the government for their leadership, and applaud Ontario joining other Canadian provinces, and numerous global jurisdictions, for bringing this additional layer of protection to business operations in the face of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic impact.   

Since July, the Board has championed such a policy on behalf of businesses and their employees. Today’s announcement by the Government of Ontario takes action on several recommendations we included in our COVID Safe Pass proposal, first released on July 21.   

The announcement of a mandated proof of vaccination receipt with government identification for many non-essential businesses, starting September 22, is a good first step. We urge the government to implement their announced digital tool with a scannable QR code, as expeditiously as possible, as a better solution. However, the best solution remains the Board’s COVID Safe Pass proposal as it calls for an interoperable digital solution that works seamlessly with proof of vaccination records from multiple jurisdictions.   

It is important that government design this tool in a way that works with other domestic and global vaccination passes, especially our neighbour of Quebec. This is ideal for people travelling outside the province as well as business visitors to Ontario.  

“This is an important step towards implementing digital tools that are successfully in use globally and that provide an effective additional layer of protection against another general lockdown. While we applaud this progress, we urge the government to expedite the timelines for implementation and provide seamless interoperability with other provinces, the federal government and for international business travelers coming to Canada.”   

- Jan De Silva, President & CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade