With a fourth wave of COVID-19 cases underway, a vaccine mandate for City of Guelph employees is under consideration, just as it is for Guelph police.
CAO Scott Stewart confirmed Wednesday the concept is being explored for city staff.
Several other Ontario municipalities have put a mandate in place or are considering doing so. In an announcement last week, Wellington County declared all new employees will be required to show proof they’re fully vaccinated.
On Wednesday morning, the nearby Town of Minto announced a new policy stating all employees are expected to be fully vaccinated unless they have a medical or religious exemption under the Human Rights Act.
Vaccinations against COVID-19 are not currently required for Guelph police officers and other staff, but that could change, says community resource officer Const. Kyle Grant.
“This is definitely something that our senior leadership team will consider,” he said via email. “They are constantly monitoring the COVID-19 situation in terms of the best ways to protect and ensure the safety of both our members and the public.”
Grants’ comment followings a Tuesday announcement from Toronto Police Service (TPS) that all officers and civilian staff will be required to be fully vaccinated.
“The safety of our members, our workplaces and the public is of utmost importance to us”, said Chief James Ramer in a news release. “Our members will be required to be fully vaccinated to protect each other and the communities we serve.”
Toronto police officers and others in the service have until Sept. 13 to provide proof of their vaccination status.
In response to this news, Toronto Police Association officials declared it does not support the mandate and will be reviewing its options while it works with TPS to address concerns.
