Unvaccinated Ottawa police employees must undergo testing every three days under COVID-19 vaccine policy
The Ottawa Police Service has implemented a new COVID-19 vaccination policy for all officers and civilians, with unvaccinated officers required to undergo testing every three days while continuing to work.
Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly and Ottawa Police Association President Matt Skof unveiled the policy to employees on Friday afternoon after two months of discussions.
Under the policy, which takes effect Oct. 22, all officers and civilians must disclose their vaccination status or provide written proof of a medical exemption.
"If you are not fully vaccinated, you must produce a negative COVID-19 test every 72 hours," says the policy, which also covers employees working from home.
Ottawa police employees not fully vaccinated or having an approved medical exemption must complete a COVID-19 education course by Nov. 15.
Starting Dec. 1, all Ottawa police employees who are not fully vaccinated must produce a negative COVID-19 PCR test or rapid antigen test taken within 72 hours. Tests will be conducted outside work hours at an Ottawa Police Service identified testing location.
The policy notes certain Ottawa police positions will require vaccination to comply with the mandatory vaccination policies of community partners, including the Ottawa International Airport and all city of Ottawa municipal facilities.
"The policy is balanced, creating a hygienic and productive workplace. It also ensures public safety and health," said Skof.
In a statement to CTV News Ottawa Friday evening, the Ottawa Police Service said the new COVID-19 Vaccination and Safe Workplace Policy requiring employees to disclose their vaccination status is, "designed to keep our members and the community safe."
As of Friday, police estimate that more than 83 per cent of its members are fully vaccinated.
The city of Ottawa implemented a mandatory vaccination policy for all employees, as of Sept. 7. The policy requires all employees, contractors, students and volunteers to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1.
To comply with the policy, all staff must have received their first dose by Sept. 15, and their second dose no later than Oct. 15.
In a statement to CTV News Ottawa on Thursday, the city said employees are currently in the process of uploading their proof of vaccination to the city's data management tool, and vaccination rates will be disclosed at a later date.
"A comprehensive analysis is underway and remains ongoing as employees continue to submit their proof of vaccination. Further details will be shared closer to the implementation date," said Valerie Turner, general manager of Ottawa's Innovative Client Services Department.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
BREAKING Mounties will not be charged in shooting death of B.C. Indigenous man
Three Mounties in British Columbia will not face charges in the killing of a 38-year-old Indigenous man on Vancouver Island in 2021.
Canada's favourite sport to watch is hockey, survey shows
The 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs have already delivered a fever level of fan excitement in Canada.
Douglas DC-4 plane with 2 people on board crashes into river outside Fairbanks, Alaska
A Douglas C-54 Skymaster airplane crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks on Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
'It's just so hard to let it go': Umar Zameer still haunted by death of Toronto police officer
“It's just so hard to let it go. I mean, everyone is telling me, ‘you have to move on,’ but I know someone is not here [anymore]. So I don't know how I will move on." That’s what Umar Zameer, the man recently acquitted in the death of a Toronto police officer, told CTV News Toronto in a sit-down interview on Tuesday.
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.