The City of Toronto is launching a multilingual public education campaign next week to urge residents to get vaccinated when it’s their turn.
The “Let’s Get Toronto Vaccinated” campaign includes ads in English and translated ads in Bengali, Cantonese, Farsi, French, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tamil and Urdu.
The campaign includes specialized media for communities identified by the City’s Community Liaison team and uses radio, television, newspaper and digital channels to reach as many Torontonians as possible, including those whose first language may not be English. The ads will appear in 75 different media outlets, 30 of which are multilingual. The multilingual campaign will launch the week of April 5, in addition to English ads that have been in the market since mid-March including transit shelters, newspapers, digital, radio and television.
The ads encourage residents to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community by getting the COVID-19 vaccine when it’s their turn. Eligible residents can book an appointment now through toronto.ca/covid19 or by phone through the Provincial Vaccine Information Line at 1-888-999-6488 (TTY 1-866-797-0007).
The advertising campaign is targeted so that it does not duplicate Provincial advertising efforts and was informed by consultations with various local community leaders. It will run in conjunction with additional outreach measures in certain communities across Toronto, including those announced in a news release earlier this week.
The multilingual campaign will run through mid-May with advertising in English continuing into June. A sample of elements from the campaign are available online: www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-protect-yourself-others/covid-19-vaccines/covid-19-vaccine-resources/.
To view a map and search for COVID-19 vaccination clinic locations across Toronto, including City-run facilities, pharmacies and hospitals, please visit toronto.ca/COVID19vaccinemap.
Additional information about COVID-19, who is eligible to be vaccinated and why vaccines are important is available at toronto.ca/covid19. This information can also be translated into 51 languages using the Google™ Translate tool on the website.
Quotes:
“In a city as diverse as Toronto, it’s critically important that we communicate information to residents in their preferred language. The best way to protect ourselves and end this pandemic is for all of us to get vaccinated. I encourage all Torontonians to get vaccinated when they are eligible and to help their loved ones book an appointment and get their shot.”
– Toronto Mayor John Tory
“We’re undertaking the largest community mobilization effort in our Toronto’s history to ensure that everyone, in every part of our city, has access to reliable information and resources when it comes to vaccines. Part of that work is providing reliable information and promoting vaccination uptake in the many languages that are spoken in our city. By working with communities and reaching out directly to people on the ground, we can remove barriers to vaccination, especially in communities that have been hit hardest by this pandemic.”
– Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Toronto Board of Health
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.