Passport price tag: Community centre budgets strain to pay for vaccine enforcement
Three times a week, Rick Corby hits the ice at the Huntington Hills Community Centre.
It’s just one of several activities the 71-year-old engages in every week to stay in shape.
Each time he arrives, he needs to show proof of his COVID-19 vaccination.
“Everybody says it’s going to be a way of life,” he says, “I go here but I also go to Thornhill pool and I walk the dog in the park –if you go inside there, you also have to show your vaccine proof to security.”
Rinks, community centres and other small businesses have hired extra staff to enforce the province’s vaccine passport program.
That means someone posted at the door, making sure everyone who comes inside is fully vaccinated.
The government offered a $2,000 grant to each of them to offset the costs, but most say that money has long run out.
“We need someone here morning to close,” says Rick Lundy, who runs the Huntington Hills Community Centre, “We have curling, we have an arena as well, we have gyms, we have school care so we are a very busy facility…there is a cost to that. So far it has cost us about $ 20,000 dollars – its $5,000 a month to have someone at the front door checking vaccinations.”
THE SQUEEZE OF RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT
Many of those businesses feeling the squeeze of restriction enforcement are hoping the province will top up the grants it gave out last fall - but the premier says that’s not the plan, at least not yet.
“We'll take a look at that,” says Jason Kenney, “But I hope that won't be necessary in the foreseeable future…I know it's been a pain, it's been a hassle, but they've been doing their part to help to keep the families going to their community rink safely. And so I really want to thank them for the effort and sacrifice they've made.”
Rick Corby says he’s just glad the rinks and the pools are doing what they can, and paying what they can, to stay open so he can stay active.
“I’ve got to do this," he says, after finishing another lap on the ice, “I’ve got to do this or I go crazy and can’t sleep at night. It’s important for me to stay moving.”
The province hasn’t said when the vaccination passport system will wind down, though the premier says he hopes to do that in March.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.
Mookie Betts leads Dodgers past Blue Jays 4-2; Toronto drops fifth consecutive game
Mookie Betts went 3 for 5, including a triple and an RBI single, as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Saturday.