Ontario Introduces Vaccine Passports to Tackle the Fourth Wave

2.75 minute read

"The Ontario government recently announced the implementation of a vaccine passport following the increase in the number of Covid-19 infections in the province. As Ontario battles the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government took note that a majority of the infections were recorded in unvaccinated people."

Written by My Visa Source Team
Published on: Oct 7, 2021

The Ontario government recently announced the implementation of a vaccine passport following the increase in the number of Covid-19 infections in the province. As Ontario battles the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government took note that a majority of the infections were recorded in unvaccinated people.

When Will the Vaccine Passport Be Implemented?

The Ontario Ministry of Health will implement the vaccine passports starting September 22, 2021. Citizens and residents in Ontario can access their proof of vaccination on the provincial government website. You will require your Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card to log in to the website. The vaccine passport will state that you have completed the course of the vaccination. This passport can either be saved on your phone as a PDF or be printed as a hard copy.

Vaccine passports issued outside of Ontario will also be considered provided the holder has received one of the 4 approved vaccines in Canada. These include Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca/Covishield, and Johnson & Johnson. The Ontario government requires you to have 2 doses of the vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated or a follow-up dose of either Pfizer or Moderna.

How Will Vaccine Passports Be Used in Ontario?

You will be required to present either a hard or digital copy of your vaccine certificate along with a government-issued identification to verify your name, date of birth, etc with the vaccine passport. The government is also working on developing a mobile application to allow businesses to scan and verify the contents of your vaccine passport using a QR code. This application is expected to be launched in October.

Where Will Vaccine Passports Be Required in Ontario?

The government has mandated the use of vaccine passports to demonstrate that you are fully vaccinated to enter the following locations:

Indoor and outdoor restaurants, bars, and nightclubs

Indoor and outdoor venues for concerts, theatre, cinema, casinos, bingo halls, and other gaming venues

Indoor areas for sport and recreational activities such as gyms, fitness centers, swimming pools, water parks, and indoor spectator areas

Indoor areas of meeting and event spaces, such as banquet halls, conference and convention halls

Indoor areas of horse racing or car racing tracks

Indoor areas of strip clubs, bathhouses, or sex clubs

Who Is Exempted from Requiring a Vaccine Passport?

The following people are exempt from requiring a vaccine passport

Children under the age of 12

Anyone over the age of 12 with a written document from a physician or nurse practitioner stating that there is a medical reason for your exemption

People coming to bars or restaurants only to get takeout, pay or use the washroom

Children under the age of 18 entering sports or recreational facilities to participate in an organized sport such as martial arts, swimming, etc

People attending a wedding or a funeral with a negative Covid-19 test result are taken 48 hours before the gathering. This is only valid before October 13

This is the first time since the pandemic that private businesses will be required to ensure that their customers are fully vaccinated. This burden of responsibility also falls on post-secondary institutions to ensure that all students, staff, and faculty in attendance are vaccinated.

Foreign students attending a designated learning institution (DLI) in October with an approved Covid-19 readiness plan will still be required to meet other testing and quarantine requirements.