Ontario COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination Guide
đź•’ 6 min read
Want to visit a bar, restaurant, hotel, or other food and drink establishments in Ontario? As of Wednesday September 22, 12:01am, you need government issued photo ID and proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two doses plus 14 days) either PDF printed hard copy or digitally. This goes for other non-essential services and indoor settings.
Created to help both customers and industry navigate this change in line with provincial requirements laid out in the Reopening Ontario Act, this guide to Ontario’s Vaccination Certificate will be updated as needed so you don’t have to dig through numerous sites and articles trying to find relevant information.
Where you need proof of vaccination status
As of September 22, proof of vaccination status will be required in the following locations:
Restaurants and Bars (excluding outdoor patios, takeout and delivery)
Nightclubs (including outdoor areas of the establishment)
Meetings and Event Spaces (Banquet Halls, and Conference / Convention Centres) -including weddings
Facilities used for sports and fitness activities (including facilities at hotels)
Sporting events
Casinos, Bingo Halls, and Gaming Establishments
Strip Clubs, Bathhouses and Sex Clubs
Racing Venues (e.g. Horse Racing)
These requirements would not apply to outdoor spaces, including patios (with the exception of nightclubs).
Proof of vaccination status is not required
There are a number of instances you do not need proof of vaccine:
Seated on a patio*
Place or pick up an order
Pay for an order
Make a retail purchase
Purchase admission
Use a washroom
Access an outdoor area that can only be accessed through an indoor route.
*Note: Some establishments are opting to require proof of vaccination for access to their patio.
Exemptions
Children 12 years old and under.
Medical exemptions require written documentation and ID.
Penalties
Failing to comply with the requirements of O. Reg. 364/20 can result in charges under the ROA. If charged under Part I of the Provincial Offenses Act (POA), set fine amounts are$750 for individuals and $1,000 for corporations. Maximum penalties based on a prosecution under Part I or Part II of the POA include fines of up to $100,000 and up to a year in jail for an individual; up to $500,000 and up to a year in jail for an individual who is a director or officer of a corporation; and up to $10 million for a corporation.
RESOURCES FOR CUSTOMERS
- Book appointment(s) if you still need a first or second dose.
- Download your proof of vaccination.
- Print out your proof of vaccination for free at any of the 100 branches of the Toronto Public Library, as well as many locations across the province.
ENHANCED VACCINE CERTIFICATES
- On October 22, the province will release an “enhanced” certificate. The digital vaccine passport will include a QR code that can be downloaded to your phone. In the interim, there is a new digital tool that converts your vaccination receipt from Ontario Ministry of Health to an Apple Wallet pass for easy access.
- Enhanced vaccine certificates with official QR codes will be made available for download from the COVID-19 vaccination portal over three days based on birth month:
October 15 - 12am to 11:59pm All individuals born between January and April
October 16 - 12am to 11:59pm All individuals born between May and August
October 17 - 12am to 11:59pm All individuals born between September to December
Starting October 18 at 6am., the portal will open for any individual to download their enhanced vaccine certificate, regardless of their birth month. Individuals can also call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 to have their enhanced vaccine certificate emailed or mailed to them.
People can save the electronic version of their vaccine certificate with a QR code to their phone or print a paper copy. Businesses must accept both electronic and paper versions. In addition, while the current vaccine receipt without a QR code remains valid and will continue to be accepted, the province is encouraging individuals to download their enhanced vaccine certificate with a QR code as an easier, more secure and convenient way to have their proof of vaccination verified. Ontarians will need to continue to show a piece of identification with their name and date of birth along with their proof of vaccination when visiting select businesses and organizations.
The new, enhanced vaccine certificate with a QR code does not require you to download an app. You only need the QR code from the provincial vaccine portal. To log in securely, you need:
a green photo health (OHIP) card - you will need numbers from both the front and back of the card, expired cards will be accepted
your date of birth
your postal code - the one associated with your health card
- Accepted forms of identification when providing proof of vaccination: Birth certificate, driver’s licence, government (Ontario or other) issued identification card (health card), citizenship card, permanent resident (PR) card, Indian Status Card or Indigenous Membership Card.
- The Office of the Premier released a series of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the new proof of vaccination requirement in certain settings.
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RESOURCES FOR FOODSERVICE & HOSPITALITY
- Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) has created a has created a number of helpful resources for businesses, including:
Proof of Vaccination Required Poster and Samples of Canada’s Immunization Records.
Also important to note:
Guests coming from overseas are expected to be fully vaccinated.
Guests from other provinces will be excepted to be fully vaccinated and processes will be outlined in the future.
Contact tracing is still mandatory due to the passport not maintaining data due to privacy protection.
Capacity limits are not being impacted at this time.
A validation process and details will be brought forward.
- Restaurants Canada published a short Q+A regarding foodservice and hospitality employers and employee vaccinations.
- Ontario Ministry of Health has provided guidance for businesses and organizations in a 14-page document. Resources include how to find COVID-19 testing locations and check results, exemptions from proof of identification and vaccinations, as well as COVID-19 screenings for employees/workers and customers. A 21-page document was released on the same day (September 14) of Q+As regarding vaccination policies, proof of vaccination, etc.
- The Government of Ontario has released Proof of Vaccination signs for businesses in English and French.
- The Office of the Premier released Frequently Asked Questions regarding the new proof of vaccination requirement in certain settings.
- Businesses and organizations can now download the free Verify Ontario app - Apple | Google. The made-in-Ontario app has been designed to help businesses by making it quicker and easier to confirm if a person is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while protecting their privacy. The Verify Ontario app for businesses can be used without an internet connection, but like any app it will need to connect to the internet periodically to keep it up to date. The app never stores personal information and only shows the minimum amount of information necessary to confirm vaccination. Verify Ontario will only scan and read official, government issued QR codes, such as Ontario’s vaccine certificate and those SMART Health Codes from other provinces including Quebec, British Columbia and Yukon Territory.
- Businesses must accept both electronic and paper versions of the government issued vaccine certificate.
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