Details on Ontario's vaccine passport system to be unveiled Tuesday

Ontario will unveil details of its vaccine passport Tuesday afternoon, a complete 180 from July when the province said no to such measures.

"No, we aren't doing it," said Premier Doug Ford in mid-July, rejecting the idea. "We're not going to have a split society." He added: "I'm not in favour of a mandatory certification and neither, by the way, is the chief medical officer."

In an open letter, Liberal leader Steven Del Duca attempted to persuade Ford "regarding the urgent need for responsible leadership on clear vaccine mandates and a province-wide vaccine certificate."

"There is significant and growing consensus on these matters," wrote Del Duca, "from leaders in health care, education, business and the municipal sector. I believe we all share the same goal, which is to minimize the negative impact of a fourth COVID-19 wave here in Ontario and to get through this pandemic as soon as possible."

He added that "the time for half-measures has passed," as "Ontario families need responsible leadership and decisive action to keep them safe, and that means making vaccination mandatory in some higher-risk nonessential settings."

Ford's stance on the issue changed last week following pressure from health and business groups and the leaking of the government plan, reported the Toronto Sun.

Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, President of the Association of Local Public Health Agencies of Ontario, said he expects the passport to be available on mobile phones. He feels that government officials have no choice as he and other health officials believe the passport is an essential means to bolster vaccination rates.

Jan De Silva, CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade, called on the Ontario government to implement a vaccine passport system for non-essential businesses. He said the only way to feel safe and prevent more lockdowns is to require proof of vaccination to access large conferences and other activities like indoor dining.

Amid strong public support, it is unclear whether the plan will enhance or further Ontario's proof of vaccination system, which it already does for both first and second doses. A recent Ipsos poll showed 75 percent of Ontarians support vaccine passports as a prerequisite to enter gyms, restaurants and other indoor spaces.

Details have not been published yet as the Ontario government proposal needs to be discussed by the cabinet before approval.

BC will launch its passport system for non-essential businesses by Sept. 13, offering a downloadable certificate similar to Ontario. Residents have until Oct. 24 to get fully vaccinated to access non-essential services in the province.

Quebec was the first province to mandate proof of vaccination through a QR code system for smartphones starting Sept. 1.

Health Minister Christian Dube repeated that their objective with the vaccination passport was to not go back to a generalized lockdown while avoiding overcrowded hospitals. He added that weekly updates on the province's epidemiological situation would resume.

The federal government pledged a federal vaccine passport a day after Quebec announced its intention to mandate vaccines. Canadians travelling internationally require proof of vaccination. The federal government also discussed banning domestic travel by plane and train for unvaccinated Canadians.

Cabinet ministers said the federal system is expected to be ready to go early fall. However, internal documents published by Politico estimate a December launch for the travel document.