Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday that the province will not take action to tax those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 after Quebec announced plans to impose a “health contribution” tax on those who have not been vaccinated. received a vaccine.
While touring the opening of a mass vaccination clinic at the Toronto Zoo, Ford was asked if Ontario should consider something similar to Quebec.
“We are taking a different approach. We are not going down that road. We’re going to take a different approach, but I implore, I beg, I beg every single person who’s not vaccinated, please protect yourself, protect your family, protect your co-workers. Please get vaccinated,” Ford said.
The premier said between 1,000 and 3,000 Ontarians still get their first doses every day, calling it “very encouraging.”
Read more:
Provinces have ‘right’ to explore vaccination incentives, Trudeau says, as Quebec plans anti-vaccine tax
Ford’s comments came shortly after Ontario’s top doctor said Wednesday he would not recommend a tax on those not vaccinated against COVID-19 and said Quebec’s plan appears “punitive.”
Dr. Kieran Moore was asked during an unrelated news conference Wednesday for his comments on Quebec’s planned tax on the unvaccinated and whether Ontario should consider a similar move.
“We have never made that recommendation to the government during this pandemic,” Moore said.
“It is not one that we would introduce. In my opinion, it seems punitive. We have always supported adults making informed decisions for vaccination and trying to increase availability and accessibility.”
Moore said vaccines have only been mandated in the “highest risk” settings, that is, long-term care.
“The increased mortality rate, the increased risk of serious outcomes had to be balanced by maximizing immunization and protection for those people,” Moore said.
“That is as far as this government has gone in terms of requiring vaccination and putting a penalty on those who have not been vaccinated has not been considered by this government.”
Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced plans Tuesday to impose a tax on any unvaccinated Quebecois who does not have a valid medical exemption.
Only 10 percent of Quebec’s population is not vaccinated, Legault said, but he said they make up 50 percent of patients in intensive care beds.
“A health contribution will be charged to all adults who do not want to be vaccinated. We are there now,” Legault said.
“I think it’s normal that the majority of the population is asking for a consequence.”
— Archived by Rachel Gilmore of Global News
See link »
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Reference-globalnews.ca