Hundreds of companies have rallied in opposition to Ontario’s new vaccine passport rules, openly refusing to verify customers’ vaccine receipts despite the threat of sanctions from public health officials.
Driven by a mix of vaccine skepticism, business decisions and fear of government overreach, these owners, ranging from burger joints in Toronto to a Brazilian jiu-jitsu class in Thornhill, have formed an extensive and well-documented network. from restaurants, gyms and cafes. and more where the clientele can enter regardless of the state of the jab.
And while Ontario municipalities have already received hundreds of complaints about the new policy being applied by businesses since it went into effect last Wednesday, the province says it is taking an “education first” approach that encourages women. companies to change their policies before imposing fines.
In a Facebook group called “Ontario Businesses Against Health Pass,” which has more than 139,000 members, small business owners and entrepreneurs across the province have been promoting their products and denouncing the Ontario Reopening Act.
“At King Jiu Jitsu, we do NOT discriminate,” Gregg King, operator of a martial arts class in Thornhill, wrote on the Facebook group. “Vaxxed or not vaxxed, everyone is welcome to train in a safe and friendly environment … No BS. No politics. No drama! “
The posts receive dozens of messages of support from like-minded people. Companies are added to an online directory, called Ontario BAD (Businesses Against Discrimination), where they can advertise their work and submit job offers to fill vacancies.
As of Tuesday, Ontario BAD listed 677 companies across the province. A social media account called the Stop No Pass List, which aims to “expose” companies that violate certification rules, listed roughly 200 companies in the GTA alone.
King, whose classes house 10-15 people at a time, has no problem voicing his resistance to the passport system in public.
“When people come in, I don’t ask them if they are vaccinated. Other people can ask if they want to, but I’m not in favor of that, ”he told the Star.
Ontario’s vaccine certification policy requires clients to show proof of their complete vaccination and corresponding identification to enter businesses such as bars, gyms, restaurants, theaters, casinos, and sports venues. Those rules don’t apply to grocery stores, retail stores, malls, nail and nail salons, and more.
Businesses that break the rules can face fines of $ 1,000 or a fine of up to $ 10 million, though the Labor Ministry says the province is focusing on educating businesses rather than issuing charges for now.
Toronto Public Health told the Star that it has received 122 complaints regarding vaccine certificates since the regulation was introduced last week. No charges have been issued as city ordinance officials “are still focusing on educating businesses about the province’s new vaccine testing program,” a city spokesman said.
Epidemiologists and public health experts have long said that the passport system will help slow the spread of COVID-19 in commercial settings.
In social media groups, members who oppose the new system range from vaccine skeptics to disgruntled business owners who say the letters are against them.
Jenna Graham, owner of The Harbor Diner in Hamilton, said the vaccine passports damaged her restaurant as she tries to make up for the losses she suffered during the closures.
“We lose more customers this way,” he said. “We are already fighting. We have to pay off all those business loans that we got from the government. And now they want to reduce our clientele even more ”.
He said he believes the province is hurting small businesses by implementing rules that do not apply to large corporations.
“You can walk into a Canadian Tire, a Walmart or a Costco and no one will ask you a damn question about your medical history. Why does everything depend on us?
And most companies that tout their resilience seem unfazed by the risk of penalty.
“We are already losing money, so why not go all out?” Graham said.
Other companies have taken a different approach.
The Goods, a vegan restaurant in Roncesvalles, closed its dining area in protest of the new rules.
“This goes against everything we stand for,” said Lisa Labute, the restaurant operator. “If everyone can’t eat inside, no one can.”
Ryan Mallough, Ontario regional director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, says the organization has been tracking the rise in anti-vaccine passport sentiment. The CFIB strongly encourages companies to comply with Ontario laws, he said, although sentiment among group members is deeply divided.
When the CFIB surveyed Ontario clients, 45 percent said they supported vaccine certificates, 40 percent objected, and 15 percent were undecided.
“That is an extremely divided vote and it speaks to how polarized and personal this issue is,” he said.
That manifests itself in social media groups, where dozens of business owners and entrepreneurs denounce the passport system even as their businesses are often unaffected by the new rules. Most companies that list in groups – real estate agents, retailers, independent grocery stores, and a curious number of hypnotists – are not required to ask clients for proof of vaccination.
While understanding companies’ discomfort with the new requirements, attorney and privacy expert Kris Klein says Ontario’s rules are very legal.
“The (Ontario Reopening Act) was passed for the benefit of the general public and as one more tool to combat the pandemic. In fact, companies must respect privacy considerations, for example, not keeping a copy of the receipt of the vaccine; but this does not mean that they do not have to comply with the law and check the status of the vaccine, “said Klein.
Still, he says the government should do more to ensure that the privacy of individual citizens is protected.
“You probably need more and better guidance on how to do the verification,” he said. “There should be time limits for this type of law and if a government is going to continue to enforce it, it should be able to show that it is effective.”
Reference-www.thestar.com