Waterloo Region businesses preparing for vaccine passport launch
Businesses and municipal facilities across Waterloo Region are preparing for the launch of Ontario's vaccine passports on Wednesday.
Starting Sept. 22, a printed or digital copy of a vaccine receipt along with a piece of ID is needed to enter restaurants, gyms, movie theatres and more.
The policy will also apply to recreation centres in the region.
"This has been a moving target for the last couple of weeks with the regulation clarifications," said Steve Scherrer, Waterloo's manager of recreation facilities.
He said city staff are ready to begin checking proof of vaccination for those 12 and older, adding security will be present to ensure compliance.
"If there is a confrontation, I really don't want frontline staff to deal with confrontation," Scherrer said.
Under Ontario's vaccination certification program, proof of full vaccination – two weeks after a second dose – must be presented to access certain non-essential businesses and services.
A copy of a COVID-19 vaccination receipt can be accessed using an online portal. The province plans to switch to using a QR code and app by late October.
At Fetter Fitness in Kitchener, patrons will be required to show proof of vaccination to their fitness instructors.
"They don’t have to show it to me every time, once they showed it to me once then we're all good," said owner Danny Fetter.
He said each trainer is in charge of ensuring compliance within their own clientele.
"You're putting the onus on the small business man all over again," Fetter said. "Every time they bring on something new it's throwing it back on us."
Vaccine passports are also required for indoor dining.
"At the end of the day if it gets us further down the road to getting back to some sort of normalcy, we're all for it," said Neil Robinson, managing partner at Borealis Grill and Bar in Kitchener.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.