Ontario Vaccine Passports Officially Start Today & Here's The Rundown

Vaccine certificates officially start today in Ontario, and you'll need to show proof of full vaccination with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine (having had your last dose at least 14 days ago) before entering some public spaces.

Public spaces requiring proof of vaccination include indoor restaurants, bars, nightclubs, concerts, theatres, cinemas, sporting events, gyms, casinos and other indoor spaces.

However, vaccine certificates will not be required if you're just entering an indoor setting to use the washroom, pay for an order, make a retail purchase or pick up or make an order, for example.

Individuals with medical exemptions, children under the age of 12 who aren't yet eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, and children under the age of 18 playing sports inside an indoor facility will not need to show proof of vaccination.

Vaccine certificates will start on paper for the rest of September and the majority of next month but come October 22, the government will be rolling out an app that converts your vaccine certificate into a QR code that businesses can quickly scan.

Until then, businesses will be checking for proof of vaccination and identification, which means you'll need to have your vaccine receipt and photo ID ready.

If you're caught providing fake documents or refusing to comply with the screening process, you can be fined $750 under the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA).

This article's right-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.