To further protect Ontarians as the Province continues to confront the Delta driven fourth wave of the COVID-19, the government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, will require people to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their vaccination status to access certain businesses and settings starting September 22, 2021.
Requiring proof of vaccination in these settings reduces risk and is an important step to encourage every last eligible Ontarians to get their shot which is critical to protecting the Province’s hospital capacity, while also supporting businesses with the tools they need to keep customers safe, stay open and minimize disruptions.
Premier Doug Ford explained “Based on the latest evidence and best advice, COVID-19 vaccine certificates give us the best chance to slow the spread of this virus while helping us
to avoid further lockdowns. If you haven’t received your first or second dose of the
COVID-19 vaccine, please do so today.”
Proof of vaccination will be required in higher risk indoor public settings where face coverings cannot always be worn.
Such spaces include:
indoor service at restaurants and bars, nightclubs, meeting and event spaces, facilities
used for sports and fitness activities, sporting events, casinos and other gaming establishments, concerts, music festivals, theatres and cinemas, strip clubs, bathhouses
and sex clubs, and racing venues.
These mandatory requirements would not apply to outdoor settings where the risk
of transmission is lower.
In addition, these requirements will not apply to settings where people receive medical
care, food from grocery stores, medical supplies and the like.
Aligned with public health measures currently in place, indoor masking policies will
continue to remain in place.
Individuals who cannot receive the vaccine due to medical exemptions will be permitted entry with a doctor’s note until recognized medical exemptions can be integrated as part of a digital vaccine certificate.
Children who are 11 years of age and younger and unable to be vaccinated will also be exempted from these requirements.
For the period between September 22 and October 12, 2021, it is intended that people attending wedding or funeral receptions at meeting or event spaces will be able to provide a negative rapid antigen COVID-19 test from no more than 48 hours before the event as an alternative to proof of vaccination.
Ontario will develop and provide additional tools to improve user experience, efficiency and business supports in the coming weeks, including establishing alternative tools for people with no email, health card or ID.
The government will work to support implementation of vaccine
certificates for Indigenous communities whether or notthey have opted to enter their
data into COVaxON, while maintaining Indigenous data governance, control, access and possession principles.
Ontarians currently have access to a paper or PDF vaccine receipt that includes all relevant information to prove that they are fully vaccinated.
As of September 22, Ontarians will be required to show their vaccine receipt when entering designated settings along with another piece of photo iden-
tification, such as a driver’s licence or health card.
Ontario will also introduce an enhanced digital vaccine re- ceipt that features a QR code, which is safe, more secure and with you wherever you go.
This digital vaccine receipt can be kept on a phone and easily used to show that you’ve
been vaccinated if you need to.
In addition, the Province will launch a new app to make it easier and more convenient for
businesses and organizations to read and verify that a digital vaccine receipt is valid, while
protecting your privacy.
As the 2021-22 school year begins, it is critical to keep Ontario schools safe and
students learning in person.
The Province will work with trusted public health units to use the existing COVaxON
system to safely and securely confirm the vaccination status of students.
The Province is committed to keeping parents informed about how their child’s COVID-19 vaccine information and enrollment data is being used to keep schools safe. This will equip
local public health units with the information they need to ensure rapid case and contact
management if required to limit disruptions in the event of cases or outbreaks and keep
kids in class.
“We are already seeing a rise in the number of cases of COVD-19 as we head into the fall” said Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health. “As we enter the last mile push to increase vaccination rates, the introduction of a vaccine certificate is an important step to give people the tools to limit further spread of the virus so that we can ensure the safety of all Ontarians while keeping the province open and operational.”
