Metrolinx announces mandatory vaccine policy for staff across Ontario

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Published August 20, 2021 at 4:27 pm

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Metrolinx has announced, in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it will be implementing mandatory vaccine policies for employees.

According to a release from the company, based on an internal survey, approximately 81 per cent of Metrolinx employees have been fully immunized against the virus, and another two per cent have received their first dose.

Presently, the details regarding the policy are still being finalized, and will be released within the coming days.

However, according to Nitish Bissonauth, a spokesperson for Metrolinx, the expectation is that this policy will mandate Metrolinx staff get vaccinated, and the only exception will be for medical reasons.

“Our staff have been on the frontlines every day since this pandemic began and I am incredibly proud of the work they have done to keep essential transit services going and customers safe,” Phil Verster, CEO of Metrolinx, said in a news release.

“Many of our employees are already vaccinated but now we are facing a more contagious foe that could threaten the incredible progress we have made to control the spread.”

On Aug. 20, a spokeswoman for the provincial agency indicated the policy would go further than provincial guidelines outlined this week for workers in hospitals, schools and other high-risk jobs, which will allow workers who don’t take the shots to regularly undergo testing as an alternative.

“We don’t expect it to include rapid testing,” Anne Marie Aikins, head of public relations for the organization, said on Friday. “We’re expecting it to be a mandatory vaccination policy.”

She said Metrolinx already has rapid testing at some high-risk locations and employees have expressed interest in stronger protective measures. 

Time of implementation is also being finalized, but Aikins said Metrolinx hopes to have the policy in effect soon given the risk of the highly contagious Delta variant that’s become dominant in the province. 

“We will really want to get it right,” she said. “This is an exceptionally important time.”

The Ministry of Transportation said in a statement that other transit and transportation agencies, including the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission and the Owen Sound Transportation Company, have also been directed to develop vaccination policies.

With files from Holly McKenzie-Sutter, The Canadian Press

Editor’s note: This story has been updated from its previous version to include more information from Metrolinx

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