Ontario's Vaccine QR Codes Are Required Starting Next Week & Here's What You Need To Know
QR codes will need to be shown as proof of vaccination.
If you've been using the vaccine certificate you downloaded when Ontario first released them, you may be in need of an upgrade.
As of January 4, 2022, the Ontario government will only be accepting enhanced vaccine certificates with QR codes in spaces where proof of vaccination is required in pair with the Verify Ontario app.
This means if you haven't made the move to update, you might want to if you plan on eating out, watching a movie in theatres or doing a whole host of other activities in the province.
You can download the new code by visiting the Ontario government's website, or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900.
What If I don't have a phone?
According to the Ontario government, the code can be used on paper or digitally, so if you don't have a phone or electronic device to save your vaccine certificate on you can go old school and print it out after downloading it from the Ontario government website.
What if I have an exemption?
If you have a medical or clinical trial exemption, you will still need an enhanced vaccine certificate that states your exception.
The Ontario government says they are "strengthening the verification process" and that "organizations and businesses that are under the provincial proof-of-vaccination system will be advised to no longer accept physician notes as of January 10, 2022."
What do I need a vaccine certificate for?
Proof of full vaccination of a COVID-19 vaccine is currently required in Ontario for indoor restaurants, bars, nightclubs, gyms, pools, sporting events, casinos, bingo halls, concert venues, cinemas, strip clubs, horse racing tracks and more.
Outdoor spaces such as gyms, concert venues, restaurants, bars, meeting spaces, water parks, sporting events and more with a regular capacity of 20,000 or more also require proof of vaccination, according to the Ontario government.