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
BREAKING Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Attack on prison van in France kills 2 officers, inmate escapes
Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack on a convoy in Normandy on Tuesday and an inmate escaped, officials said.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
$1.6B parts plant for Honda electric vehicle batteries coming to Niagara Region
A Japanese company has announced it will build an approximately $1.6-billion plant in Ontario's Niagara Region that will make a key electric vehicle battery component as part of Honda's supply chain in the province.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Manitoba premier to visit areas impacted by wildfire
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew will get a close-up look at the devastation from a large wildfire burning in northern Manitoba Tuesday.
Significant police presence as Israeli flag flies at Ottawa City Hall
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.