Northeastern communities roll out vaccine policies for municipal workers
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is soon to be the new normal across Ontario and for some of the major hubs in the northeast region, it’s key to continued employment.
“The City of Greater Sudbury is requiring employees -- basically people who attend the workplace, and so that would include councillors and staff and volunteers who come into the building to do work for the city -- to be vaccinated by Nov. 15,” said Chief Administrative Officer Ed Archer.
However, the new policy has prompted the union that represents workers in the city -- CUPE 4705 -- to speak out.
"CUPE 4705 is not against vaccinations, but we are deeply concerned with the lack of reasonable alternatives offered to our members that choose not to be vaccinated, such as rapid testing, to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19," the union said in a statement
However, Archer said it’s non-negotiable.
"We don’t anticipate testing as an alternative to a vaccine,” he said. “Testing isn’t a method for controlling the illness and so our preference is to mitigate the risk and that’s why we promote and expect our employees to be vaccinated."
It all comes down to safety, Archer said.
“We aren’t interested in compromising on safety and we expect that this policy will maximize safety for both our employees and for the people that visit our facilities.”
So far across the region, North Bay is the only major hub without a vaccine policy in place. Officials said it's expected to go in front of council by the end of the month.
Meanwhile, Timmins released its policy Tuesday morning, saying in part “that unless medically exempt the workplace vaccination policy requires proof of full vaccination by the end of business day on Friday, Oct. 1.”
Employees who only have one dose will need to complete rapid testing twice per week until they are fully vaccinated against the virus.
Some employees have options
In Sault Ste. Marie, its policy went before council on Sept. 9. However, unlike Sudbury and Timmins, city employees have options.
“Any staff who are not fully vaccinated will need to comply with certain revisions,” said Sault Ste. Marie CAO Malcom White.
“For those staff who aren’t fully vaccinated but are either in the process -- maybe they’ve received one dose or they intend to get vaccinated -- they will need to, if they are working on site and working at all, they will need to provide testing through local pharmacies antigen testing and provide negative results.”
White said the cost of those tests will be covered for six weeks, since that is how long it takes to get fully vaccinated. After that, employees are on their own.
“We don’t see the testing as being a long-term solution," he said. "As we note in the policy, this is a rapidly evolving area and we certainly see the policy being updated frequently.”
Officials across the region said the policies were crafted following the guidance and mandates set by the province.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'