In a statement issued at the end of the day, Prabhit Sarkaria explained that employees in the district will need to be vaccinated. Those who do not need to prove they have medical reasons not to receive the vaccination, or to take a course in the benefits of the vaccination. Either way, they will have to undergo screening tests.

Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria

Photo: Ontario Canal Legislative Assembly

Workers will need to confirm that they have been fully vaccinated.

The guidance will also apply to political employees in the offices of the Cabinet and Premier Doug Ford.

There are 64,000 regional employees working across Ontario, according to the Treasury Board.

The press release did not specify when the policy would take effect.

On Thursday, the Conservative Party of Ontario expelled MP Rick Nichols from the rally for refusing to vaccinate against COVID-19. Another member was released from this obligation on medical grounds.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford

Photo: The Canadian Press/Nathan Dennett

In mid-June, Premier Doug Ford opposed passport vaccination and the compulsory vaccination of certain categories of workers, while urging all Ontarians to vaccinate. He argued that free choice in the face of vaccination is a constitutional right.

However, since then, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health has announced that healthcare employers should adopt strict vaccination policies by the start of the school year.

In recent days, educational institutions, health care organizations and municipalities have announced policies requiring employees to be vaccinated or to undergo ongoing screening tests.