Provincial Vaccination Passports Avoid line-ups by bringing your certificate or doctor's note in early

Dear Members and Friends of the YMCA:

You will no doubt have heard that the provincial government will be launching vaccination passports. This new requirement has two key milestones.

The first, requires everyone accessing non-essential facilities – like fitness centres – to show their Second Vaccination Certificate along with a piece of ID starting on September 22. This is the vaccination receipt that you received via email following your second vaccination. You can also get your receipt online.

The second stage will arrive sometime in October when the province intends to have its vaccination app available.

This means that starting Wednesday, September 22, members and visitors coming into the Y will have to demonstrate that they are fully vaccinated by showing their Second Vaccination Certificate at the front desk. Members who have a photo on file do not have to show additional ID. Anyone who is not a member or is a member but does not have a picture on file, will have to show photo ID in addition to their certificate.

Everyone coming into the Y must check in at the front desk before accessing the rest of the facility. This includes anyone attending a youth program with a child – including parents or guardians attending youth swimming lessons. Because of provincial capacity requirements, we encourage only one parent or guardian to attend programs with their child.

The province requires anyone with a medical exemption to bring a doctor’s note as proof until the exemption can be incorporated into the new app.

Children under the age of 12 are exempt from the new requirements.

Please note that members will have to bring their vaccination certificate or doctor’s note only once and that we will not be keeping your certificates on file.

To avoid line-ups at the desk on September 22, please bring your vaccination certificates to the front desk of the Y starting Thursday, September 16.  Doing so means that when you come in on or after the 22^nd, you will be able to scan in as usual and will not need to wait in line with your certificate or medical exemption.

Your YMCA supports vaccinations and thanks you for helping to keep our facilities and our communities safe. We appreciate your efforts as well as your patience as we implement the new provincial policy.

Sincerely,

Rob Adams
CEO, YMCA of Eastern Ontario