Enforcing new vaccine mandate frustrates some Quebec retailers

Quebecers headed toIKEA, Walmart, Costco, Canadian Tire and other big retail stores now have to show proof of vaccination and government-issued ID at the door.

The new measure,introduced on Monday,effectively limits people who haven't receivedtwo doses of a COVID-19 vaccine topurchasing only essential goods and it's already frustrating those who have to enforce it.

"There are several reasons we're disappointed," said PatrickDelisle, head of marketing for Quebec hardware chainCanac. "First of all, we would've liked to be treated as an essential service we've been essentialsince the beginning of the pandemic."

Theministerial decreeapplies tostoreswith a surface area of1,500square metresor more, with the exception of grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations. Health Minister Christian Dub saysthe expanded vaccine mandate is meant to encourage more people to get vaccinated.

Delislesaysretail stores are bearing the brunt of provincial policy.

"We're not going to ask someone who's dealing with water damage [in their home] if they're vaccinated or not," he said. "It's really frustrating to have to manage clients living situations like that ... it's not our job."

High costs, unfair competition, angry customers

On top of customer service challenges, businesses say they're being dealt a significant financial burden. Canac saysit will cost around $100,000 a week to enforce the measure in its 31 stores across Quebec.

For Simon Gagnon, owner of a Sports Experts franchise in Sherbrooke, Quebec's labour shortage was already making it tough to find staff. Now he says he faces the "colossal challenge" ofhiringsecurity guards and employees to scan vaccine passports and he fears he maylose some of hiscustomers.

"What scares us is that instead of lining up, people will go shop somewhere else," he said, adding that he feels the province is creating unfair competition between larger retailers and smaller stores that don't have to enforce the new rules.

Delisle says Canachas dealt with more angry clients in the weeks leading up to the newvaccine mandate than it has throughout the entire pandemic.

"We're just the messenger ... it's not us who decided to do it," he said. "We're getting a lot of messages from people on social media pouring their hearts out to put it politely."

Few exceptions

Some peoplewho work in construction had hopedfor an exemption that would have allowedunvaccinated workers to pick up building supplies butthe government refused.

Quebec's construction association asked its members to respect the new measure. Itsaidthe 10 per cent of employees who aren't vaccinated could look at alternatives such as having items delivered to a work site or visiting a smaller store.

There is onenotable exception in the ministerial decree that was issued Sunday night: peoplewho aren't fully vaccinated canvisit pharmacies inside bigger stores that fall under the new rules. To do so,they'll have to beaccompanied by an employee on their way in and out.

Quebec's Retail Council says its members had to scramble to move around schedules and to put staff their front doors Monday.

The council is asking customers to be patient as businessesadjust to the new requirements. It says it hopes the measure is temporary and that the government will give retailers a timeline for when it could be phased out.