Ontarians can begin downloading new enhanced vaccine passport Friday
Ontario residents were able to begin downloading their enhanced proof-of-vaccination certificates with a secure QR code on Friday.
Only people born from January to April were able to download the new vaccine receipt on the first day.
Those with birthdays from May to August can download the app on Saturday and people born from September to December can do so Sunday.
As of Monday, everyone can access the portal.
To ensure a smooth user experience, the province is initially making the enhanced vaccine certificate with scannable QR code available for download in cohorts based on an individual's birth month over a period of three days," according to the Ministry of Health.
You can also call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 to have your enhanced vaccine certificate emailed or mailed to you," the ministry said.
You'll need your proof of COVID-19 vaccination to access certain businesses and settings," it added.
The health ministry said only those with green photo health cards can use the website, but expired cards are accepted.
Those with the old red and white cards that don't have a number should phone the vaccine contact centre.
Premier Doug Ford will hold a news conference at 11 a.m. Friday at Queen's Park with Dr. Kieran Moore, the chief medical officer of health, to discuss the new Verify Ontario system for proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
The verification application, which is available for businesses to download for free on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, will enable them to scan Ontarians' QR vaccination codes as of Oct. 22.
To ensure the app was available to businesses and organizations in real time tomorrow, the verification app was added to app stores today," Ford's office said Thursday.
Moore said Ontarians should expect a phased exit" from the vaccine passport system sometime next year if COVID-19 data remains encouraging.
The top doctors added that lifting of customer limits in restaurants and gyms will be slow, gradual and cautious."
That's despite the abrupt removal of capacity limits on major sporting venues, concert halls, and theatres last weekend.
We will not be doing this suddenly."
Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie
Rob Ferguson is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @robferguson1