High vaccine compliance at Sault Area Hospital and municipality
COVID-19 vaccination policies at the City of Sault Ste. Marie and Sault Area Hospital appear to be working, with both organizations seeing high compliance among staff.
Hospital and city officials said only a very small number of employees have refused to comply with vaccine mandates.
Sault Ste. Marie's CAO Malcolm White said around 88 per cent of city employees are fully vaccinated, while five per cent have received one vaccine dose.
He said those refusing to comply with the policy have been sent home without pay.
"We had seven staff who didn't comply with the policy, who did not either disclose their status or indicated to us that they would not agree to the testing provisions of the policy," said White. "Those seven will be placed on unpaid leave at this time."
White said he hopes those who have been placed on unpaid leave will change their minds about vaccination.
"I don't believe we have received any specific medical exemptions at this time, although there may be some that I'm not aware of," he said.
"Essentially, our goal is to have a fully vaccinated workplace to meet our obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act."
Meantime, officials at Sault Area Hospital say 98 per cent of professional staff and all on-site volunteers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Those not fully vaccinated will be educated on the importance of getting their shots. Hospital officials said fewer than five employees have been placed on unpaid leave for non-compliance with the vaccine policy and that no grievances have been filed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.
Douglas DC-4 plane with 2 people on board crashes into river outside Fairbanks, Alaska
A Douglas C-54 Skymaster airplane crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks on Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said.