Vaccine passports may be on the horizon: What are Hamilton businesses doing?
At least one Hamilton-based restaurant group is moving forward with its own COVID-19 vaccination policy as the city's medical officer of health recommends their implementation.
The Other Bird, which operates The Mule and Rapscallion & Co., will be implementing a mandatory vaccine policy for its workers, CEO Erin Dunham said in an interview Monday afternoon.
Dunham said their plan - which will allow for medical and religious exemptions - will require all current staff as well as any new hires to be fully vaccinated by the end of the year.
For us, it's about the protection of our staff," she said. We see so many unmasked people everyday. To have everybody double-vaccinated, it's the safest thing."
As of Monday, Dunham said out of the company's approximately 120 staff members, fewer than 10 are not fully vaccinated. Aside from their Hamilton restaurants, the group operates Burro in Burlington, Hunter & Co. in London and The Arlington Hotel in Paris.
The company's decision to implement a workplace vaccination policy comes as Hamilton's medical officer of health recommended them for local employers.
In a news release Monday afternoon, Hamilton public health said the policies should require employees to provide proof of vaccination and any unvaccinated employees to provide proof of a medical reason from a doctor.
The policies should also require any unvaccinated employees to complete a workshop on the risks of being unvaccinated on the job, according to the news release.
Through their actions and policies, local employers can provide their customers with peace of mind that they are doing their part to protect their employees, their patrons and the broader community during this critical time in the pandemic," Dr. Elizabeth Richardson said in a statement.
Vaccines aren't currently mandated across the province, but a source told the Toronto Star that immunization passports are expected to be announced for Ontario in the coming days.
That could mean Ontarians will need to show proof of vaccination to enter non-essential businesses, such as restaurants, movie theatres, gyms and concert venues. Similar programs have already launched in British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec.
Locally, vaccines have already been made mandatory for members of the Hamilton Police Service, all City of Hamilton staff and those returning to both McMaster University and Mohawk College campuses.
Fans of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Forge FC will also have to ensure they're vaccinated to take in home games at Tim Hortons Field. Vaccine passports also have the backing of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, which hosted a webinar to answers questions from businesses.
The Spectator reached out to a number of Hamilton's largest employers to see where they stood with workplace vaccine policies - here are the responses.
Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority
Hamilton's port authority is considered a federally-regulated sector, meaning they fall under the federal government's decision to mandate vaccinations for all workers in those industries.
In an email to The Spectator, Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA) spokesperson Emily Paivalainen said the authority is currently developing a policy that will meet the federal requirement and they expect to have it in place ahead of the Oct. 30 deadline.
As of Aug. 26, Paivalainen said approximately 90 per cent of their employees are fully vaccinated.
At this point, our approach is to continue to encourage vaccination, ensuring any employees who have not yet been vaccinated have access to good information from sources that are credible and that they trust," said Paivalainen.
Canada Bread
Grupo Bimbo, parent company for Canada Bread, is waiting for recommendations" from public health, as well as the provincial and federal governments, on whether vaccines should be mandatory for their staff, according to a spokesperson.
ArcelorMittal Dofasco
At ArcelorMittal Dofasco, manager of corporate affairs Marie Verdun said they are asking all employees to disclose whether they're partially vaccinated, fully vaccinated or do not plan on getting their vaccine.
Verdun said the company is monitoring the conversations around vaccine mandates and will base (their) actions" on the guidance of public health, as well as both the federal and provincial governments.
Maple Leaf Foods
Employees returning to Maple Leaf Foods' corporate offices will be required to show proof of vaccination starting in September, according to a recent statement from president and CEO Michael McCain.
McCain said the company understands that some employees may not be able to receive the vaccines for valid reasons," and will work with those staff members to identify appropriate" accommodations on a case-by-case basis.
McCain said vaccinations will not be required for staff in their operating facilities.
McCain said the company will be providing every possible support" to assist workers in getting vaccinated. That includes hosting on-site immunization clinics, giving employees paid time off to get vaccinated and running vaccine awareness campaigns.
Fallon Hewitt is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: fhewitt@thespec.com