City of Toronto announces mandatory COVID-19 vaccination or its employees

Mayor John Tory was joined by City Manager Chris Murray and Chief People Officer Omo Akintan to announce a new mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy requiring all City of Toronto employees to receive both doses of the vaccine.

With the health and safety of residents, staff and the community key priorities for the City, this new policy demonstrates a commitment to taking every precaution to protect staff and visitors in City workplaces from COVID-19. The full policy is being finalized now and will be made public in the coming days.
The City announced yesterday (19) that all members of the Toronto Public Service will be required to disclose and provide proof of vaccination status by September 13. Staff who have not been vaccinated or who do not disclose their vaccination status by September 13 will be required to attend mandatory education on the benefits of vaccination. These unvaccinated individuals will then need to provide proof of first dose no later than September 30.

As of October 30, all City staff will be required to have received their first and second doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. The City will comply with its human rights obligations and accommodate employees who are legally entitled to accommodation. The City has continually encouraged all staff to get vaccinated as soon they were eligible, and allows employees to go to vaccination appointments during work hours, where operationally feasible.

Public health guidance demonstrates that vaccines provide a high level of protection against COVID-19 and related variants. Toronto Public Heath recently reported that since May 1, those who are unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated make up 98.7 per cent of hospitalized COVID-19 cases. The City, as an employer, has an obligation under Ontario law to take all necessary precautions to protect its workers. As the largest employer in Toronto, the City is also taking a leadership role in making COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for its workforce. Agencies and corporations of the City will be encouraged to do the same in order to protect their employees and the public they serve.

TO/MS