Some businesses set to ignore vax cards
The owner of Bad Tattoo Brewing in downtown Penticton has joined a growing chorus of B.C. business leaders who are speaking out about their concerns surrounding the launch of vaccine cards.
Beginning Sept. 13, people will need to show proof they’ve had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine before attendings restaurants, stores, ticketed events and other public places in B.C. As of Oct. 24, people will have to show they’ve been fully vaccinated with two doses if they wish to go into those same public places.
Reaction has been polarized since the program – full details of which are yet to come – was announced Monday by the B.C. government.
Opponents have since rallied around a new Facebook page called BC Businesses against Health Pass, which had 65,000 members as of Thursday afternoon.
Those opponents include Bad Tattoo owner Lee Agur.
“Vaccine passports are unconstitutional. By enforcing something like the vaccine passport my business is at risk of breaking the law and we could get sued,” said Agur in a statement Thursday.
“I have customers that are threatening legal action if I discriminate against them or violate their privacy by requiring personal medical information. Some of these customers are the same people that have kept our business going during limited-service periods during the height of restrictions and we will not turn our backs on them now.
“They have shown us great loyalty and supported us through these extremely difficult times, and we will continue to show them that same loyalty in return, regardless of their very personal medical choices.”
Agur went on to note he employs hosts as young as 14 and requiring them “to enforce customer vaccine passports upon entry to the restaurant makes me fear for their health and safety and is not within the scope of their employment agreement.
“I love living in Canada and one of the greatest things about being Canadian is being able to serve all of our customers without discrimination.”
As of Thursday afternoon, a database compiled by members of BC Businesses against Health Pass showed at least 14 other businesses in Penticton planned to follow Bad Tattoo’s lead in not checking customers’ vaccine cards.
Jonathan McGraw, president of the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce, said his board was due to discuss the matter at a meeting Thursday afternoon.
“I am hearing some very mixed feelings about the new mandate for vaccine passports,” McGraw said in an email in advance of the meeting.
“On one hand this helps in preventing future lockdowns or additional restrictions which may impact a business from operating at full capacity. It would provide more protection for employees in their workplace. It also allows those businesses who have been severely impacted by COVID-19, such as theaters, casinos, sporting events, etc. to fully open up.
“However, on the other hand, this puts some businesses in a very difficult position to implement and enforce this requirement. We have seen the confrontations that front-line employees faced with those opposed to the wearing of masks, so we can only imagine that this passport system may create even more anxiety and stress for those on the front line with customers.”
McGraw said he’s also heard “equality” concerns related to people who can’t be vaccinated for health or religious reasons.
“We are going to need the province to work with businesses, so they know how to roll out the implementation and enforcement of the passport system. I think the enforcement of the passport system is going to be the most difficult aspect as this is where the opportunity for conflict may arise,” said McGraw.
Earlier this week, the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce said an internal survey found one-third of its members were strongly opposed to vaccine cards, although 57% indicated they would support some sort of vaccine verification system for nonessential activities if it means business can get back to normal.
"Our members have strong feelings on this subject," chamber president Jeffrey Robinson said in a press release.
"The common ground seems to be a desire to return to normal, but there are fundamental differences over whether requiring some private businesses to refuse service to unvaccinated customers is consistent with that goal.”
The B.C. Health Ministry said in a statement Thursday it expects “all relevant businesses to comply with public health orders, and the province will be engaging with them over the next several weeks to support them with this work.”
“If individuals or businesses do not comply, there are enforcement measures, such as closure, that can be considered,” the statement added.