TORONTO – Aug. 31, 2021: Today, Rocco Rossi, president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), released the following statement amid reports that the Ontario government will implement a provincewide proof-of-immunization program:
“It is promising to hear reports about a potential vaccine ‘passport’ system in Ontario. A lack of government guidance puts the burden on individual businesses to create, implement, and enforce their own rules and this disproportionately impacts small business. Implementing a proof-of-immunization program will encourage more Ontarians to get vaccinated, as we have seen in British Columbia and Quebec, while allowing businesses to remain open even as case counts rise.
“Details of the framework, including the guidance that goes with it, will be equally as important as the system itself. Ontario’s vaccine ‘passport’ system should avoid creating additional red tape or barriers to reopening, particularly for small businesses that don’t have access to the same resources as bigger companies to implement and enforce their own policies.
“In absence of a centralized, Canada-wide approach to COVID-19 proof-of immunization for international and domestic use, we support the implementation of a provincial certificate that is verifiable, secure, standardized, accessible, and portable, as recommended by Ontario’s Science Table.
“We are looking forward to learning more about the government’s plans and working collaboratively with them to ensure a smooth implementation for Ontario business.”
About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan, indispensable partner of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.
