City of Charlottetown makes vaccine mandatory for staff, volunteers

The City of Charlottetown is implementing a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy.

As of Nov. 30, all city employees, council members, volunteer firefighters, other volunteers, students and contractors will be required to be fully vaccinated.

The policy willalso be in place for other people working at city-owned facilities.Additionally, visitors to city facilities, public meetings, town halls, council meetingsor other indoor city events will be required to show their proof of full vaccination.

Council passed a resolution to adopt the new policy at a special meeting on Monday.

Coun. Alanna Jankov, chair of the human resources and communications committee, said the city is following the practice of other jurisdictions and municipalities.

"We saw the federal government had created a policy, the provincial government, and we just thought, as the third level of government, we should be protecting the residents, the staff, the contractors and the public that comes and goes from the city-owned buildings and facilities," she said.

City employees who do not comply will be put on unpaid administrative leave.

Jankov said accommodations will be made for those who have a valid reason for not being vaccinated, such as a medical or religious exemption.

Any employee who is granted an accommodation will be required to wear a non-medical mask at all times while at work and provideproof of negative COVID-19 test results up to three times a week. Tests would need to be completed outside of scheduled work hours.