Since September 22, 2021, patrons of restaurants and other specified businesses and organizations in Ontario have been required to provide proof of full vaccination status and identification at the entry point of applicable...more
10/21/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Ontario ,
Public Health Emergency ,
QR Codes ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Workplace Safety
On October 6, 2021, the Canadian federal government announced that federal public servants in the Core Public Administration (CPA) as well as employees in the federally regulated air, rail and marine transportation sectors...more
10/14/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Public Servants ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
With the Delta variant putting residents and staff in long-term care homes at risk of contracting COVID-19, on October 1, 2021, Ontario announced certain mandatory vaccination and randomized testing requirements....more
10/6/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Essential Workers ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
Ontario ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
In July, Ontario entered Step Three of its Roadmap to Reopen, and on September 22, 2021, began to require full vaccination (two doses plus 14 days) with proof of vaccination and ID to access restaurants and certain public...more
9/29/2021
/ Canada ,
Capacity ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Entertainment Venues ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Ontario ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Resorts & Restaurants ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Workplace Safety
Ontario’s proof of vaccine requirement for patrons of certain indoor public settings commenced on September 22, 2021. In response to this new regime, as well as to the recent trend among employers to implement vaccination...more
9/27/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Mandates ,
Human Rights Code ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Ontario ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On September 14, 2021, Ontario’s Ministry of Health released Version 1.0 of Medical Exemptions to COVID-19 Vaccination (Guidelines). The purpose of the Guidelines is to assist physicians/specialists and nurse practitioners...more
9/24/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Mandates ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Popular ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On September 14, 2021, Ontario released Regulation 645/21 and a guidance document, which provide support to businesses and organizations in the implementation of their vaccination requirements, which will commence on...more
In response to the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic driven by the Delta variant, Ontario announced that commencing September 22, 2021, people will be required to be fully vaccinated (i.e., two doses plus 14 days) and...more
9/10/2021
/ Arenas and Stadiums ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Entertainment Industry ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Resorts & Restaurants ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Workplace Safety
On August 23, 2021, the British Columbia government announced that by order of the Provincial Health Officer, proof of vaccination will be required to access some events, services and businesses in the province. Patrons must...more
8/30/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Entertainment Venues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Workplace Safety
On August 20, 2021, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health (TMOH) issued a statement effectively mandating that local employers institute a workplace vaccination policy (WVP) to protect their employees and the public from...more
On August 13, 2021, Canada announced that, as early as the end of September, it will require COVID-19 vaccination across the federal public service. Accommodations or alternative measures (e.g., testing or screening) for the...more
8/24/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Federal Employees ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Public Employees ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
British Columbia recently announced new public health requirements regarding COVID-19 vaccinations for those working at long-term care and seniors’ assisted living facilities. In the announcement, Dr. Bonnie Henry, British...more
8/20/2021
/ Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs) ,
Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Essential Workers ,
Health and Safety ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On August 17, 2021, Ontario announced that COVID-19 vaccination policies would be mandatory in high-risk settings, and the province’s exit from the Roadmap to Reopen would be put on hold. Therefore, until further notice,...more
8/20/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Essential Workers ,
Health and Safety ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Ontario ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
British Columbia’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner (BCOHRC) recently released A human rights approach to proof of vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic (Guidance), which offers general advice on how employers and...more
8/17/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Human Rights ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Based on the provincewide vaccination rate and continuing improvements in key public health and health system indicators, Ontario has announced that it will enter Step One of the Roadmap to Reopen (Roadmap) on June 11 rather...more
On May 25, 2021, British Columbia released a four-step COVID-19 reopening plan, Restart: A plan to bring us back together. To move through the steps, British Columbia looks for...more
6/4/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Public Gatherings ,
Public Health ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Social Distancing ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Employees in Canada who want to get vaccinated but lack a contractual or statutory right to paid time off to do so may be unable to afford the reduction in income that would ensue if they took time off work to get...more
On April 13, 2021, Ontario announced that in Phase 2 of its COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan it will provide vaccines to those 18 and over via mass immunization clinics, mobile teams, and pop-up clinics in highly impacted...more
With increasing concerns over COVID-19 variants and the recent acceleration of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout to Ontario’s public, Ontario Premier Doug Ford was recently asked if the Government of Ontario would consider...more