Most Canadian manufacturers support a vaccine passport, survey says

More than two out of three Canadian manufacturers support the use of a vaccine passport in their companies, a new survey shows, but less than a quarter currently require it.

The survey of nearly 1,000 manufacturing companies conducted by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) shows that 69 per cent of respondents support vaccine mandates and passports to protect their employees and families. “But they need and expect strong, clear guidance from governments at all levels, which has been missing,” CME said in a Sept. 3 news release.

“Right now, there is a lack of clarity about the use of the vaccine passport in the workplace,” said Dennis Darby, CEO of the Ottawa-based CME. “Businesses want to make sure their hands are free to move forward. Provinces must provide companies with the necessary tools to reduce the risks.”

If a provincial government implements a vaccine passport for the industry, CME said, there should be flexibility for workers who are fully vaccinated. “While some governments have begun to roll out mandates and passport systems, the focus is often on retail and public places, and not on how the rules can and will apply to manufacturers and their 1.7 million employees in the country,” Darby said. “We believe that with clearer rules, vaccination levels will increase, and manufacturers who can prove their workforce is vaccinated, can return to pre-COVID operational health and safety guidelines.”