Vaughan mayor directs staff to develop mandatory vaccination policy for city employees

yorkregion.com
Aug. 23, 2021
Dina Al-Shibeeb

Vaughan mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua directed top city staff members to develop a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for city employees.

Bevilacqua’s order came after he sent a letter to York Region medical officer of health Dr. Karim Kurji asking if Kurji believed in a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, particularly in light of the spread of the Delta variant, described as far more transmissible than other strains.

"Based on his ongoing professional counsel, I have directed our administration to develop a mandatory vaccination policy for City of Vaughan staff," Bevilacqua said.

"The city will comply with its human rights obligations and accommodate employees who are legally entitled to accommodation," he added, referring to employees who might refuse vaccination.

Bevilacqua said that the city will continue "assessing the ongoing situation through York Region Public Health’s use of facts, figures and real-time data".

"We all share the responsibility to reduce the spread of this virus," he added.

On Aug. 19, Toronto Mayor John Tory announced that all of the 37,000-plus City of Toronto employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 30, with limited human rights accommodations.