Mandatory vaccinations for some Ontario university students: could it happen in Quebec?
As Ontario post-secondary schools announce mandatory vaccination rules for class attendance and residence, some east of the border may wonder: could that happen in Quebec?
First, some background: The University of Ottawa made headlines this week after updating their requirements for students looking to live on campus.
Under the school’s guidelines, students must be vaccinated to live in residence.
If a student doesn’t have a dose by the time they arrive, they’ll need to get one within two weeks of moving in, and then their second within the timeframe given by public health.
Other schools in Ontario have also added mandatory vaccination to their rule books, including Seneca College in Toronto, where inoculation will be mandatory for anyone “teaching, learning and working” on campus.
So, what about Quebec?
Health Minister Christian Dubé says it’s unlikely Quebec will enforce a mandatory vaccination directive on students.
“Our key principle is to roll out on a voluntary basis. It has worked so far, we will continue this way,” he said during a Friday press conference.
“The way we are progressing on being ready doesn’t justify going this way at this time.”
Without a provincial directive, vaccination rules are unlikely to appear in Quebec universities.
“Unless the Quebec government mandates vaccination, we cannot, at this time, legally require proof of vaccination from incoming residence students,” said Frédérique Mazerolle, a McGill University spokesperson.
“The university encourages people to follow the Quebec government’s vaccination directives.”
The school is still taking precaution with travelling students who aren’t fully vaccinated.
Rooms are available in the school’s Park St. residence location, where students can complete their two-week quarantine at $50 per night.
Meanwhile, Concordia’s dorms will only be filled to 50 per cent capacity and nobody will share a room.
What’s more, there will be no visitors allowed, and students will have to take training on COVID-19 precautions before they move in.
Whether mandatory vaccination rules exist in Quebec or Ontario, student advocates say they’ll affect international students more than anyone else.
“A lot of international students come from areas where doses aren’t available at the same rate as they are here,” said Eduardo Malorni, general co-ordinator with the Concordia Student Union.
“So, some of them may only have one shot, some of them may have zero shots.”
In Quebec, more than 82 per cent of those eligible have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 50 per cent have been fully vaccinated.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6968271.1721298812!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Former safety minister wants 'protective zones' for MPs' offices as threats increase
Former public safety minister Marco Mendicino is calling for the creation of 'protective zones' around political constituency offices to shield members of Parliament and their staff from a rising tide of threatening behaviour.
Vance's night but Trump's party, Jan. 6 curtain call, Trump health still under wraps: RNC Takeaways
Republicans welcomed JD Vance as Donald Trump's running mate on the same night devoted to blasting U.S. President Joe Biden's leadership on the world stage. Here are some takeaways from Day 3 of the RNC.
Two deaths in listeriosis outbreak linked to plant-based milk recall
Two people have died after an outbreak of listeriosis triggered a national recall of certain plant-based milks, the Public Health Agency of Canada said Wednesday.
Mississauga, Ont., nursing home evacuated of more than 100 residents amid flooding
First responders say it took nearly 12 hours to rescue more than 100 residents from a flooded Mississauga, Ont., long-term care home after torrential rain pummelled the Greater Toronto Area on Tuesday.
John Deere ends support of 'social or cultural awareness' events, distances from inclusion efforts
Farm equipment maker John Deere says it will no longer sponsor 'social or cultural awareness' events, becoming the latest major U.S. company to distance itself from diversity and inclusion measures after being targeted by conservative backlash.
Rare photos reveal uncontacted tribe in Peruvian Amazon as loggers move in
Rare images of the Mashco Piro, an uncontacted Indigenous tribe in the remote Peruvian Amazon, were published on Tuesday by Survival International,
NEW 'No more barriers in CAF' as Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan to be officially named head of military
Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan will become the first female to lead the Canadian Armed Forces following a ceremony in Ottawa today.
Teens could face charges after homes damaged in 'ding dong ditch' pranks, B.C. RCMP say
Authorities are asking parents to speak with their teenagers following a "frenzy" of recent door-knock pranks in Surrey, B.C., that have escalated into property damage.
JD Vance introduces himself as Trump's running mate and makes direct appeal to his native Rust Belt
Introducing himself to the nation after being tapped as Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance used his Wednesday night address to the Republican National Convention to share the story of his hardscrabble upbringing and make the case that his party best understands the challenges facing struggling Americans.