Vaccine passports less than 2 weeks away for Quebecers
Quebecers will soon be required to show proof of vaccination before sitting down in a restaurant or hitting up the gym.
Vaccination passports will come into effect Sept. 1, with Quebec being the first province to instill this rule on a wide scale.
Taking the form of a QR code accessible through a mobile app, the passports will apply to a number of enclosed public spaces, such as restaurants, theatres, and stores.
And some businesses, like Taverne Midway, are testing things out ahead of time.
The bar, located on St. Laurent Blvd. in Montreal, participated in a trial run of the passport Friday night, hoping to work out any bugs ahead of the rollout.
“[Customers] fill [out] a couple questions on how they feel about the experience, what can be improved — and it will be the same on our part,” said Taverne Midway owner Charles Landry.
He hopes that having exclusively vaccinated customers will permit the loosening of other COVID protocols, such as social distancing.
Although Landry looks forward to the change, the concept of vaccine passports has not been embraced by everyone.
Hundreds of Montrealers gathered in the Old Port on Aug. 21 to protest the passports, calling them violation of privacy.
Despite this event, most Canadians appear to be in support of vaccine passports, according to a new survey from Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies. The survey states that 81 per cent of Quebecers are in favour, with 76 per cent of Canadians being in favour overall.
“I think it’s an amazing idea considering the safety of everyone around,” said one citizen in a CTV report. “If you aren't vaccinated you should probably rethink your decision.”
As far as privacy concerns go, Alexander Dahl, CEO of the tech company Akinox — which worked with Quebec in creating the app — says a number of safeguards are in place to protect the information of users.
“No data is kept on the device, no data is sent to the internet, no tracking, no GPS, none of that.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.