Over 200 Members Of Toronto Police On Unpaid Leave Due To Vaccine Mandate & Most Are Officers

Hundreds of Toronto workers have been placed on unpaid leave due to vaccine mandates, and Toronto police officers are not exempt.

On Tuesday, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) announced that members who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or have chosen not to disclose their vaccination status, will be placed on an indefinite unpaid absence effective November 30, 2021.

As of Tuesday, a total of 205 members are being placed on unpaid leave, TPS said, including 117 uniform officers and 88 civilian members.

However, it's worth noting that members placed on an unpaid absence who become fully vaccinated and update their vaccination status will be able to return to work.

TPS also reported that nearly 98% of its 7,415 members have revealed their vaccination status and 98% are fully vaccinated, with more members updating their status every day.

“Our objective remains ensuring the health and safety of our members, our workplaces, and the public we serve,” James Ramer, Toronto Police chief, said in a statement.

“As we do every day, the service is prioritizing frontline and priority response to ensure public safety is not impacted during this period. I want to assure the public that the service is doing its part to protect the communities we serve and thank our members who have been vaccinated,” Ramer said.

In early November, the TTC had to reduce service on 57 bus routes due to staffing shortages linked to vaccine requirements.

Health Canada has a robust website with all the latest information on COVID-19 vaccines and can answer any questions you may have.