Quebec mandates vaccination passports starting September 1, 2021

Quebec’s vaccination passports will come into effect on September 1^st, 2021 for certain targeted sectors of the economy throughout the province.

Vaccination passports will be required at:

• Bars, restaurants, cinemas, training halls, gyms, festivals, and large gatherings.

Vaccination passports will not be required at:

• Retail stores, shopping malls and restaurant take-out orders.
• It should be noted that, beyond essential businesses (grocery stores, pharmacies, and hardware stores), the government reserves the right to extend the application of the vaccination passport to retail businesses according to the evolution of the fourth wave.

Operational details:

• A smartphone application will be available for reading QR codes. The operator of the application will only be able to see if the customer has a vaccination passport. Further verification of identity must be carried out.
• In all cases, employees will be able to work in the targeted sectors, with or without a vaccination passport.
• The government has not yet specified what sanctions could be imposed on violators.
• The government is currently working on an equivalence system for people who are adequately vaccinated outside Quebec.
• Several operational details still need to be developed. RCC is working with government authorities to minimize the impact of these measures on RCC retail and QSR members.

Pilot projects

• By September 1, 2021, the government will have tested the application, execution, and management of the vaccination passport with a chain of restaurants and a chain of gyms in the province.