Calgary Updates Vaccine Passport Bylaw

Calgary City Hall in a file photo. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

Calgary’s city council has voted unanimously to amend the city’s COVID-19 vaccine passport bylaw.

The city passed their initial vaccine passport bylaw last fall, which made it mandatory for all eligible businesses to opt into Alberta’s Restrictions Exemption Program (REP), which requires businesses to ask patrons to provide proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test, or a medical exemption in order to enter restaurants, recreation centres, and other venues.

Under the new bylaw, Calgary is now more closely aligned with the provincial REP. Several changes are included in the amended bylaw to align the municipal government’s definitions of “eligibility,” “identification,” and “proof of vaccination” with those of the province.

Now, if the provincial government makes changes to those definitions in the REP, they will also automatically be reflected in Calgary’s bylaw.

Youth sports outside of school premises are still included in the city’s vaccine passport bylaw, but certain changes have been made.

Specifically, under the amended bylaw, persons over the age of 12 years and 10 weeks will have to provide proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test or a vaccine medical exemption letter. However, children under the age of 18 are not required to show personal identification or proof of vaccination when participating in a school curriculum-based activity.

The latest bylaw went into effect this week on Jan. 11. No expiry date has yet been set.