Last updated: Friday, December 10 , 2021
This afternoon the Ontario Government announced new measures to further encourage vaccination and help limit the spread of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant during the winter months.
The province is strengthening proof of vaccination requirements and enhancing public health measures as follows:
- Delaying the lifting of proof of vaccination requirements beyond January 17, 2022, aligned with the reopening plan that stipulated that doing so was contingent on the absence of concerning trends.
- Effective January 4, 2022, requiring the use of the enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code and the Verify Ontario app in settings where proof of vaccination is required. The QR code can be used digitally or by printing a paper copy. Individuals can download their enhanced certificate with QR code by visiting https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/.
- Strengthening the verification process for medical exemptions and clinical trial exemptions by requiring a certificate with a QR code. Organizations and businesses that are under the provincial proof-of-vaccination system will be advised to no longer accept physician notes as of January 10, 2022.
- Effective December 20, 2021, requiring proof of vaccination for youth aged 12 to 17 years participating in organized sports at recreational facilities.
- On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ontarians are strongly advised to limit their social gatherings and the number of gatherings they attend over the holiday season. Additional precautions should be taken if all individuals are not fully vaccinated or where vaccination status is unknown. Employers in all industries should make every effort to allow employees to work from home.
The Impact on Open Houses
Since October 25th, following the release of the Government’s A Plan to Safely Reopen Ontario and Manage COVID-19 for the Long-Term, open house capacity limits and physical distancing requirements were lifted for real estate agencies that chose to require proof of vaccination.
We are currently looking into how the new vaccine verification measure that kicks in on January 4th will affect REALTORS® who choose to require proof of vaccination status to enter a house.
Please stay tuned for an update in the coming days.
For guidance on open houses and proof of vaccination, visit the OREA COVID-19 Information hub. You will also find frequently asked questions about the impact of Ontario’s vaccination policy on real estate here.
Thank you for continuing to do your part to stop the spread of COVID-19. If you have any comments or questions, you can email info@orea.com.
Sincerely,
David Oikle
OREA President