THUNDER BAY – Mayor Bill Mauro is calling for a COVID-19 vaccine policy for frontline city staff.
In a motion that will be debated on Monday by city council, the mayor seeks a report on a policy covering all municipal workers who interact with the public, in areas like transit, customer service, and sewer and water.
It’s uncertain how many employees would be impacted by such a policy, but Mauro said it would be a broad group.
“When you start thinking about the services we provide, I don’t know how many people it will potentially cover, but it will be a lot," he said.
The policy would be similar to those the province recently mandated in hospitals, schools, and other broader public sector agencies, Mauro said.
Those policies require staff to provide proof of vaccination or a documented medical reason for not being vaccinated, or else participate in a vaccine information session and submit to regular antigen testing.
The rise of the Delta variant, which has led health authorities to warn of a gathering fourth wave of COVID-19 in Ontario, means employers need to weigh health risks carefully, Mauro said.
“There is [a need for a policy],” he said. “I think we really need to be concerned. There are vulnerable populations we’re involved with… so what does that mean for our workers, how they interact [with the public], and what are the requirements of them?”
The province is allowing at least some institutions, like hospitals and paramedic services, to implement stricter rules requiring proof of vaccination or medical exemption – removing the testing alternative.
The provincial government couldn't immediately confirm whether municipalities would be allowed the same flexibility.
The mayor is open to more aggressive policies, he said.
“We’ll see what we’re able to do and what we’re not,” he said. “At this point it doesn’t look like municipalities have that ability, but certainly from my perspective, we need to be as cautious as we can."
Thunder Bay's medical officer of health, Dr. Janet DeMille, said workplace vaccine policies would be an "important tool" to prevent outbreaks, but wasn't convinced they need to be overly strict, given healthy progress on vaccination rates and low case counts in the district.
“I think one needs to be very thoughtful about any type of policy that might restrict people," she said. "There’s been many examples of that over the course of this pandemic, and it has to be balanced."
She said the conversation about what exemptions to allow in vaccine policies is "evolving," and "if the risk is there, it could warrant stronger policies" in the future.
Fred Caputo, who represents Thunder Bay transit operators as president of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 966, opposes any strict vaccine requirement.
"I don't feel any of my members should be forced to get vaccinated, if that's something they don't believe in, to keep working," he said in an email. "Rapid testing of unvaccinated workers is an option and is being used in many industries."
Caputo supports vaccination, he said, noting the ATU has consistently advocated for vaccine access for its members.
"I have no doubt in my mind that a good number of ATU 966 members took advantage of the opportunity to be vaccinated, as have I," he said. "But this was a decision I made for myself and my family. I understand the importance of everyone being vaccinated... but I feel this is a choice each individual must be able to make on their own."
Mauro hadn't spoken with union leaders about the policy, he said Friday, but expected them to be consulted as it was developed.
Regardless of the rules, he hopes staff take it upon themselves to be immunized out of concern for fellow employees and the public.“I certainly would encourage people please, certainly if you work in those sectors where you’re dealing with the vulnerable populations, that’s what the science is telling you – and yet there are people who are reluctant for their own reasons to do that."
His motion directs administration to report to council on Sept. 13 on the development of vaccine policy.
Administration has already begun work on the policy, Mauro said, since the provincial mandate applies to city employees in settings like childcare centres.
It's uncertain a vaccine policy for frontline staff would apply to city councillors, the mayor said, but he called on elected officials to be vaccinated.
