OTTAWA -- Ottawa residents 80 and older can now book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment, after Ontario's new online booking system launched Monday morning at 8 a.m.

Mayor Jim Watson says the first shots for that group will be going into arms as early as Tuesday, and all seven mass vaccination sites in the city of Ottawa will open in the next seven to 10 days if the city receives enough doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

"This is one of our more significant steps in the battle against COVID-19," said Watson in an interview with CTV News Ottawa on Sunday.

The Ontario government announced Sunday that as of 8 a.m. Monday, people born in 1941 or earlier across Ontario would be able to book an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Residents can visit Ontario.ca/bookvaccine to make an appointment. When booking, you will be asked for information from their Ontario health card, birth date, postal code and email address and/or phone number. When you book, you will schedule your first and second vaccination appointments.

People wishing to schedule by phone can call 1-888-999-6488.

COVID-19 vaccinations in Ottawa

All Ottawa residents 80 and older (born in 1941 or earlier) regardless of where they live in the city can book an appointment through the province of Ontario’s online booking system. That includes adults 90 and older who do not yet have an appointment booked.

Appointments are happening at four community vaccination clinics:

  • Nepean Sportsplex (open)
  • Ruddy Family YMCA-YWCA (opens Wednesday)
  • Eva James Memorial Community Centre (opens Tuesday, March 23)
  • City Hall (opens Tuesday, March 23)

Last Friday, the city opened its first mass vaccination clinic at the Nepean Sportsplex to begin vaccinations for all residents in Ottawa 90 and over. All appointment times for residents aged 90 and over were booked for the weekend.

Appointments for residents 80 and over in high-risk neighbourhoods will continue to be booked through Ottawa Public Health. You can call 613-691-5505 to book an appointment at a pop-up clinic location close to your home.

Watson says the first vaccinations for appointments booked through the Ontario government's online portal will begin as early as Tuesday.

Watson is hopeful all seven of the city's mass vaccination sites could be operational within the next 10 days, depending on supply of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"So much is dependent on supply of vaccines, but I can confirm that we will be announcing at least one more geographic site early next week," said Watson.

"Our goal is when we have enough vaccine, which we believe will be in the next week to 10 days, we'll be able to open all seven of those geographically located sites."

Ottawa's mass vaccination clinics will have the capacity to administer 11,000 doses a day.

What you need to book an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine

The Ontario government says when booking an appointment, you will be asked for the following information:

  • Government of Ontario green photo health card
  • Birth date
  • Postal code
  • Email address or phone number

At the time of booking, eligible individuals will schedule their first and second vaccination appointments

COVID-19 vaccine clinic locations in Ottawa

When there is enough vaccine supply, the city of Ottawa plans to open seven mass vaccination clinics, similar to the clinics used to administer the flu shot every year. Those clinics will be at the following locations:

  • Horticulture Building, 1525 Princess Patricia Way
  • Eva James Memorial Centre, 65 Stonehaven Dr.
  • Ruddy Family YMCA-YWCA, 265 Centrum Blvd.
  • Nepean Sportsplex, 1701 Woodroffe Ave.
  • St. Laurent Complex, 525 Cote St.
  • Canterbury Recreation Complex, 2185 Arch St.
  • Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave. W.

There are also COVID-19 vaccination clinics at the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus and the Queensway Carleton Hospital.