Ottawa businesses face negative reviews, boycott threats for hosting COVID-19 vaccine clinics
Ottawa businesses hosting pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics say they have received negative reviews and threats of boycotts for helping to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates.
The Orange Monkey on City Centre Avenue and Finnigan's Pub on Montreal Road are among the businesses teaming up with Ottawa Public Health to host vaccination clinics on site.
While the clinics have been well received, the owners have also faced threats for hosting the vaccination pop-ups.
"Leading up to today, some negative feedback mostly on social media. People have put threats on there, some saying they're going to boycott the business, harm me," said Brian Beauchamp, owner of the Orange Monkey.
Beauchamp says they had been promoting Wednesday's pop-up vaccination clinic for four days, and received no negative feedback from customers inside the business.
"People who have been coming here they're saying, 'Wow you're having this. I'm already vaccinated but I'm glad you're doing this,'" said Beauchamp.
"We actually had people come in today that came in because they saw the posters here."
Beauchamp says most of the negative comments were posted to the Orange Monkey's Facebook ad.
The Orange Monkey was offering a $25 gift card to everyone getting a vaccine during the vaccination clinic on Wednesday. In the first two hours of the clinic, 30 people had received the COVID-19 vaccine.
At Finnigan's Pub in Vanier, owner Drew Dobson says 99 per cent of the feedback on the COVID-19 pop-up vaccination clinic scheduled for Saturday has been positive.
"And a very noisy one per cent hostile and negative," said Dobson on Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron.
"I've been called a Nazi in the last week, we've had negative reviews, we've been threatened with a boycott, and many other expletives. But thankfully it's a small minority of the people out there."
Dobson says Finnigan's Pub is an ideal location to help an "under-serviced community," noting Vanier has a lower vaccination rate than other areas in Ottawa.
The COVID-19 vaccination pop-up is scheduled for Sept. 18 at Finnigan's Pub.
"We're just doing our bit to help Ottawa Public Health, and if it's just a little bit of a negative pushback we can deal with it," said Dobson, adding he was "surprised by the nastiness of it."
Beauchamp was asked on CTV News at Noon with Patricia Boal why he wanted to work with Ottawa Public Health to help get people vaccinated.
"From a selfish point of view, I want to stay open. I want other businesses to stay open. I want customers that are regulars here to keep coming to the place that they like," said Beauchamp.
"We can't afford to have another shutdown. It's been devastating."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.