Here's What Toronto Staff Need To Know Before The Mandatory Vaccine Policy Starts This Fall

The City of Toronto just announced it will be making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for all of its employees.

On Thursday, August 19, Mayor John Tory held a news conference, announcing that all members of the Toronto Public Service will need to disclose vaccination status with proof by September 13. Anyone who hasn't been vaccinated or does not disclose their status by this time will be required to take "mandatory education on the benefits of vaccination," the city's press release said.

Unvaccinated staff will be expected to provide proof of the first dose by September 30 at the latest. The city added that all staff are required to be fully vaccinated — with doses one and two — by October 30.

"As is the case with any policy that you bring in, vis-à-vis at your employees and the safety of your workplace, there will be differences of opinions," Mayor Tory said earlier today. "There will be a possibility that people will, maybe, choose not to comply with that, and we will deal with it when the time comes."

Mayor Tory also said that the city will "comply with its human rights obligations" when it comes to employees who are legally entitled to accommodation.

Toronto Public Health recently reported that the majority (at nearly 99%) of hospitalized COVID-19 cases since May 1, are those who are unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated.

Several businesses, educational institutions and other establishments have already made announcements regarding their vaccine policies, with the majority of them requiring proof of vaccination status from their employees, students or guests.