Owen Sound city staff will be developing a Covid vaccination policy for city employees and council that will be coming back to council for review.
Council unanimously approved a motion that was introduced by Mayor Ian Boddy at its meeting on Monday to direct staff to bring forward a report respecting an employee and council vaccination policy designed to protect employees, contractors, volunteers and the public.
Several councillors advocated for it to include accommodations for those who are unable to be vaccinated, and one also expressed concerns about potential legal liability the policy could bring.
“There are individuals who have expressed to us (who) are unable to be vaccinated,” says Coun. Marion Koepke. “Hopefully, something can come with testing or something as a compromise for those situations.”
Coun. Carol Merton: “We have had a lot of emails and concerns about human rights, the dignity of individual choice, and the liability if we don’t develop a policy that clearly identifies where that fits. What is the plan around legal advice?”
City manager Tim Simmonds told councillors the city would receive solicitor input on its vaccination policy and also have it reviewed by the Grey Bruce Health Unit.
“We will draft a policy to bring back to committee and council to review,” Simmonds explains. “Our (human resources), safety coordinator and senior leadership team will be working on this collaboratively. Hopefully, the policy will meet the needs of those that can’t be vaccinated … and also where it moves from there and how we deal with those that we interact with each day at city hall.”
Coun. Scott Greig says he hopes the city’s vaccination policy is understanding to all people.
“It’s a very personal decision and I hope that our policy that comes forward recognizes the personalization of the vaccine on each person,” Greig explains. “It’s not my business to entertain (a person’s) health status. That’s their business … Hopefully the policy comes back and recognizes everybody is important.”
City council also had another notice of motion before it on Monday concerning engagement with Grey County, Bruce County and the Grey Bruce Health Unit about a potential vaccine passport for Grey Bruce, but it was withdrawn by Coun. John Tamming given the Ford government has announced it will implement a certificate system in Ontario later this month.
The Ontario government announced on Sept. 1 that Ontarians will need to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination along with photo identification as of Sept. 22 to access certain settings and facilities, such as concerts, nightclubs, sporting events, casinos, indoor dining at restaurants, and other indoor public settings.
A release from the Ontario government says individuals who can’t receive the vaccine due to medical exemptions will be allowed to enter premises included in the certificate system with a doctor’s note, while children ages 11 and under will also be exempt from the vaccination requirements.