Justice Centre releases Campus Vaccine Index, one-third of Canadian universities have vaccine mandate

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms released the 2021 Campus Vaccine Index Thursday to help educate students, parents and the public with the campus COVID-19 vaccination policies of 61 public universities in Canada.

"Canada-wide, the favoured approach among universities is to let students, staff, faculty and campus visitors make their own health decisions without threats to their liberties," reads a Justice Centre release. As of August 17, 65 percent or 40 of 61 Canadian universities do not have any mandatory vaccination policies in place.

Universities situated in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Yukon have not instituted any campus-wide mandatory vaccination policies.

Though no Alberta post-secondary mandated vaccines, an open letter by U of C President and Vice-Chancellor Ed McCauley said the university would review measures in place given the spread of the Delta variant.

A recent survey found over 92 percent of faculty and staff and over 84 percent of students either received the vaccine or planned to get vaccinated before classes resume in the fall, reported CTV News.

Starting September 1, everyone on campus at the University of Calgary, University of Lethbridge and University of Alberta must either be fully vaccinated or undergo rapid testing. Those who do not want to disclose their vaccination status must also comply with rapid testing.

Masks must also be worn in all public indoor areas where social distancing cannot be maintained.

"Any individual who cannot be tested or vaccinated based on medical or other protected grounds recognized by the Alberta Human Rights Act can request an accommodation," read a release.

In addition, at least one university situated in each of the provinces of Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Nova Scotia does have a mandatory vaccination policy.

"Universities in Ontario and Saskatchewan are among the worst offenders: 17/20 or 85 percent of Ontario universities have instituted a mandatory vaccine policy, although at some schools, students can opt for onerous twice-weekly testing regimes in lieu of the jab," read a Justice Centre release.

Toronto’s York University mandated vaccines for all community members and visitors on its campus this fall after consultations with stakeholders. Its administration said they would grant medical and human rights exemptions.

Both of Saskatchewan’s universities have mandatory vaccine policies in place.

Dr. Francis Christian, Clinical Professor of General Surgery at the University of Saskatchewan and a practicing surgeon in Saskatoon, was suspended in June by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan for advocating for the informed consent of COVID-19 vaccines for children.

On June 17, he released a statement to over 200 doctors which contained his concerns regarding giving COVID-19 shots to children. He stated outright that he did not represent any group, the Saskatchewan Health Authority or the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Christian is also pro-vaccine.

Since 2011, the Justice Centre has published the annual Campus Freedom Index report to measure the state of free speech at Canada’s publicly-funded universities. "However, due to government-mandated lockdown measures, there was insufficient campus data to analyze for the 2020–2021 academic year."

This year’s Campus Vaccine Index is therefore a special edition of our annual report.

The Justice Centre’s position is that mandating vaccination for Canadians under most circumstances violates their right to bodily autonomy, and other Charter-protected rights to freedom of conscience and religion, mobility rights, and the right to liberty, and security of the person.

The Justice Centre is considering the commencement of a Charter application against a college in Ontario which, if successful, may result in a change in policy on universities as well.

"Getting a COVID-19 vaccination should not be a prerequisite to accessing postsecondary education in Canada," they wrote in a release.