Ontario To Launch Proof of Vax For Indoor Settings

By FYI Staff

Call it another flip-flop for the premier, but pressure from businesses and the electorate have pushed the Ontario government to set firm rules for indoor mingling.

The move follows Quebec’s lead and similar restrictions either in place or about to be deployed in BC and Manitoba.

As of September 22, the province of Ontario has decreed that everyone will need to be fully vaccinated (two doses plus 14 days) and provide proof of vaccination along with photo ID to access higher-risk indoor public settings where face coverings cannot always be worn and includes:

• Restaurants and bars (excluding outdoor patios, as well as delivery and takeout);

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• Nightclubs (including outdoor areas of the establishment);

• Meeting and event spaces, such as banquet halls and conference/convention centres;

• Facilities used for sports and fitness activities and personal fitness training, such as gyms, fitness and recreational facilities except for youth recreational sport;

• Sporting events;

• Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments;

• Concerts, music festivals, theatres and cinemas;

• Strip clubs, bathhouses and sex clubs;

• Racing venues (e.g., horse racing).

These mandatory requirements would not apply to outdoor settings where the risk of transmission is lower, including patios but excepting outdoor nightclub spaces.

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 remain in place.

– Additional facts and resources here.