Here's how Ontario's COVID-19 passport system will work
Ontario officials released details about a new province-wide vaccine passport system Wednesday, saying residents will first use PDF receipts before switching to QR codes later this fall.
The new measure will come into effect September 22, when people will need to prove they’ve received both doses and waited at least 14 days before eating indoors at restaurants, going to the cinema, or working out at the gym.
Here’s how to prove you’re vaccinated this fall:
Starting September 22
People will need to have a copy of their PDF vaccination receipt, either paper or digital, and a piece of government-issued photo ID to enter a slew of non-essential businesses.
Those who got vaccinated in Ontario would have received a receipt by email after their appointment, and that document can be re-downloaded from the provincial government’s website in case it was lost.
Staff at nightclubs, restaurants, gyms, and event spaces will look at a person’s PDF receipt and their ID to make sure they match.
Government of Ontario
Starting October 22
The Ontario government is currently developing a software app to scan QR codes indicating vaccination status.
Updated PDF vaccination receipts that include a person’s unique QR code will be available to download from the provincial portal later this fall.
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People should store the QR code on their mobile phone or print it out. Staff at non-essential businesses will use the government-distributed app to scan customers’ QR codes and confirm they’re vaccinated.
The app will display a simple “yes” or “no” to let a business know whether to admit the customer.
Government of Ontario
People with valid medical exemptions to vaccination, including allergies to vaccine ingredients or myocarditis after a first dose, will receive QR codes that display “yes.”
Children under 12 do not need a certificate because they’re not yet eligible to be vaccinated.
Visitors to Ontario should bring proof of vaccination and photo ID from their province or country of residence.
The Ontario government says it’s working on ways for vaccinated tourists and visitors to access services smoothly.
Here are all the places you’ll need to show the certificate to enter:
- Dining indoors at a restaurant (but not getting takeout or eating on a patio)
- Gyms and fitness centres
- Cinemas
- Nightclubs (including outdoor nightclubs)
- Meeting or event spaces including banquet halls and conference centres
- Sports events
- Casinos and other gambling establishments
- Concerts and music festivals
- Horse racing venues
- Strip clubs, bathhouses, and sex clubs
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