Ontario’s Proof of Vaccination Regulation: Guidelines for Businesses

On September 14, the government released the regulations and guidance for businesses and organizations to support them in implementing proof of vaccination requirements, which take effect on September 22, 2021. Please note that Ontario Regulation 364/20: Rules For Areas at Step 3 and at the Roadmap Exit Step will be updated online shortly. Requiring proof of vaccination will help increase vaccination rates, protect individuals in higher-risk indoor settings, and keep businesses open.

This requirement focuses on higher-risk indoor (unless otherwise stated) public settings:

• Indoor areas of restaurants, bars, and other food and drink establishments without dance facilities
• Indoor and outdoor areas of food or drink establishments with dance facilities, including nightclubs and restaurants, clubs and other similar establishments
• Indoor areas of meeting and event spaces
• Indoor areas of facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities, including waterparks, and personal physical fitness training with limited exemptions
• Includes gyms, fitness/sporting/recreational facilities, pools, leagues, sporting events, waterparks, and indoor areas of facilities where spectators watch events
• Indoor areas of casinos, bingo halls, and other gaming establishments
• Indoor areas of concert venues, theatres, and cinemas
• Indoor areas of bathhouses, sex clubs and strip clubs
• Indoor areas of horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues
• Indoor areas where commercial film and TV productions take place with studio audiences

In addition to the guidance, there is a questions and answers document to help clarify the requirements for businesses and organizations.

The above information provided by the Ontario government should offer sufficient details for members to put in place a system to check the vaccination status of its patrons. If there is anything that you require clarification on, please contact info@omca.com.

View the Ministry of Health’s Medical Exemptions to COVID-19 Vaccination

Note that OMCA is working diligently to persuade the government to reduce the limitations on capacity, especially in areas that require patrons to be vaccinated. If you have any questions about our advocacy work, please do not hesitate to get in touch.