Today, the City of Toronto is providing an update on its COVID-19: Mandatory Vaccination Policy, which required all staff to have received a complete COVID-19 vaccine course (two doses of a two-dose series or one dose of a single-dose vaccine) by Saturday, October 30.
As of Sunday, October 31, the information for active City staff is:
Starting this week, staff who are not compliant with the policy will be required to meet with their manager/supervisor to review their vaccination status and may be suspended for up to six weeks without pay.
After the period of unpaid suspension, starting on Monday, December 13, if staff members do not provide proof of receiving both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, their employment will be terminated for cause, as they will have chosen not to comply with the mandatory vaccination policy.
The City has focused on educating unvaccinated staff and encouraging them to get vaccinated as soon as possible. An online training module was made available to staff in September, and the City offered additional targeted education sessions and dedicated vaccination clinics to staff at work locations with lower vaccination rates.
While the number of staff who have not received a complete COVID-19 vaccine course is low, the City is working to assess anticipated service level impacts arising from the potential staff suspensions and terminations in accordance with the policy. The City is focused on ensuring impacts to critical and priority services will not be affected. There will be no impact to responses to emergencies by Toronto Police, Toronto Fire Services or Toronto Paramedic Services.
As the largest employer in Toronto, the City is taking a leadership role in making COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for its workforce and is meeting its obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to take every precaution reasonable to protect employees from workplace hazards, including COVID-19.
The City will continue to comply with its human rights obligations. Staff who are not able to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine under a protected ground set out in the Ontario Human Rights Code, will be entitled to accommodation.
The City’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy is available here
Quotes:
“The vast majority of our City of Toronto employees are vaccinated. Thank you to the more than 94 per cent of employees who are now fully vaccinated and the 98 per cent of employees who have at least one dose. This policy is about protecting the health and safety of all City employees, their families, and our residents. We have seen continued progress in our staff vaccination rates over the last three months. It’s my hope that any staff who have yet to get vaccinated will take that important step as soon as possible.”
– Mayor John Tory
“I’d like to thank and recognize the 94 per cent of our staff who have made the choice to get vaccinated and who continue to help protect themselves, their families and our community. While we are hopeful that more staff will make the choice to get vaccinated, we are working to help mitigate any impact on public services as a result of the policy implementation. The mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy helps us protect each other and the people we serve.”
– Chris Murray, City Manager
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Media contact: Media Relations, mailto:media@toronto.ca