Hamilton eyes mandatory COVID shots for all city workers

Hamilton is eyeing mandatory COVID vaccinations for all city workers as part of a plan to fight rising infections that will go to a special council meeting next week.

The announcement by Mayor Fred Eisenberger this morning comes a day after the City of Toronto made public a plan to require all of its municipal and transit workers to get the jab.

In a statement, Eisenberger pointed to the urgency of preparing for the fourth wave of variant-fuelled COVID infection, noting 95 per cent of cases reported since December have been in unvaccinated citizens.

The mayor said he supports a vaccine verification policy for the city's 6,000-plus workers because the municipality has an obligation to undertake all necessary precautions to protect our workforce, their families and in turn the community as a whole."

In recent days, the city has had one of the highest test-positivity rates for the virus in Ontario at the same time vaccination rates have plummeted.

Council will consider a report on mandatory vaccines at a special council meeting next week. Unions for city workers have been notified of the planned policy change.

More to come.

Matthew Van Dongen is a Hamilton-based reporter covering transportation for The Spectator. Reach him via email: mvandongen@thespec.com