News Release
June 4, 2021

The City of Toronto is opening more than 10,000 additional vaccination appointments for next week across three City-run immunization clinics. The new appointments at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Cloverdale Mall and Scarborough Town Centre clinics will be available to book in the provincial booking system today as of 11:30 a.m.

Today, the Province of Ontario announced that anyone 70 years of age or older, as well as anyone who received a first Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine dose on or before April 18, will be eligible to book accelerated second dose appointments for City-operated clinics as of Monday, June 7. Vaccination is available in City-run clinics by confirmed appointment only and not by walk-in.  Appointments at City-run clinics can be booked through the dark blue “Book a Vaccine” button on toronto.ca/covid-19 or by calling the provincial vaccine booking line at 1-833-943-3900 (TTY for people who are deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired: 1-866-797-0007).

Yesterday, the Province also updated the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine guidance and announced that first and second doses of different COVID-19 vaccine can be safely combined. The Province is expecting to open “second dose only” appointments at a 12-week interval to first-dose AstraZeneca recipients in the provincial booking system starting next week. Once appointments are opened, anyone who received a first dose of AstraZeneca will be able to book a second dose vaccination appointment at a City-run clinic for a date 12 weeks after their initial dose. In the meantime, individuals who received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and are opting to receive either a second dose of AstraZeneca or a mRNA vaccine can now schedule their second dose appointment at a participating pharmacy.

More information, including other second dose booking options, is in the Province’s Ontario Updating AstraZeneca Second Dose Guidance news release.

Anyone with an existing appointment at a hospital or other vaccination partner clinic who is now booking an earlier appointment at a City-run clinic or unable to attend their appointment is urged to cancel the existing appointment by contacting the clinic directly. Cancelling unneeded appointments lets someone else book that slot and access vaccine that will protect them, their friends and family.

Vaccination appointments – including the 10,000 new appointments – can also be booked as first dose appointments for anyone age 12 and older. Youth are encouraged to schedule first dose appointments as soon as possible so that their second dose can be administered before the start of the next school year. All City-run clinics require appointments made through the provincial booking system.

City-run clinics are administering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. All COVID-19 vaccines teach the immune system to make antibodies. Antibodies prevent people from getting, spreading and becoming seriously sick with COVID-19. All vaccines used in Ontario have been approved by Health Canada and have met all safety and quality standards. More information about vaccines is available on the City’s COVID-19: About the Vaccines webpage.

To easily connect to resources including vaccine appointment bookings, information on vaccines and upcoming telephone town halls, Toronto residents can text “VACCINE” to 1-833-750-0888 or 833-750-0888 for more information.

For the current wave of COVID-19 in Toronto, amplified by variants of concern, staying home and following public health guidance is the best way to keep everyone safe. Please review the City’s COVID-19: Guide for Residents for public health guidance and information on what is and is not permitted under provincial regulations and City bylaws.

Quotes:

“We need everyone to get vaccinated. Get your first dose if you haven’t already – everyone 12 and older is eligible. Get your second dose as soon as you are eligible and make sure all your family and friends do as well. We are doing everything we can in our City-run clinics to open up availabilities and we are working with our Team Toronto partners to keep offering vaccinations across the city. The sooner we are all vaccinated, the sooner we can get on with reopening and bring this pandemic to an end. People have been doing such a great job stepping forward to get vaccinated – the first dose numbers continue to show strong uptake – now we need to make sure everyone gets their second dose.”

– Mayor John Tory

“From Day One, our top priority has been to protect our must vulnerable. Right now, that means continuing to scale up our operations to get more Torontonians fully vaccinated, with two doses of vaccine. Now more people will be able to get their second shot at our City-run clinics – helping to keep themselves, and our city as a whole, safe.”

– Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Toronto Board of Health

“Safe and effective – that’s the message from both the National Advisory Committee on Immunization and the guidance from the provincial government on the mixed-dose vaccine schedules. With these recent announcements, Torontonians now have more options for their second vaccine dose, especially those having received a first dose of AstraZeneca. I encourage all Torontonians – when they are eligible – to book an appointment for their second of vaccine to ensure Toronto truly does have a two-dose summer.”

– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Medical Officer of Health

“Our Immunization Task Force and Vaccine Clinic management teams work hard to make as many doses and appointments available as possible. These additional vaccine appointments are the result of careful and diligent vaccine management. I encourage all eligible residents to take advantage of these additional opportunities to receive vaccine.”

– Fire Chief Matthew Pegg, General Manager of the Office of Emergency Management

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 Relations