City vaccination bylaw eases pressure on some businesses, but Cochrane won't follow
Some Calgary businesses say while the new city vaccination bylaw doesn't change what they do, it does ease some of the pressure on front line staff.
"People actually thought it was a choice that we were given, but the reality for businesses like ours, it really wasn't much of a choice that the province provided us," said Andy Fennell, owner of Gravity Cafe and Wine Bar in Inglewood.
The bylaw passed Wednesday night by a vote of 13 to 1, with only mayoral candidate Jeromy Farkas voting against. It requires proof of vaccination in bars, rec centres, gyms and sporting groups, but also removes businesses ability to opt out, which was part of the province's plan announced last week.
But after a week of repeated threats and verbal abuse, some bars and restaurants said that appearance of choice seemed to put the responsibility on them.
"At least the public understand the pressure on business and we actually have to go ahead with this program," said Fennell.
Business in Cochrane have had a similar experience, says Mayor Jeff Genung. But that doesn't mean council there will follow Calgary's approach.
Cochane cafe checks vaccine passports
"We're staying in our lane and relying on the province to make those decisions on our behalf," Genung said. However as a business owner himself, he's not happy with the way the vaccine passport has been rolled out.
"Really businesses in my opinion have no choice but to put some form of exception program in place," Genung said.
"People are really at the end of their rope," he added, "and letting the businesses take the brunt of this and it's not fair."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The World Health Organization said on Friday that the current overall public health risk posed by H5N1 bird flu virus is low, but for those with exposure to infected birds or animals the risk of infection is considered low-to-moderate.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.