Quebec wants to tax the unvaccinated, but experts say it could backfire
CTV
Some experts are warning that Quebec's unprecedented plan to tax adult residents who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19 could have the greatest impact on those who have 'suffered the most during the pandemic,' such as vulnerable and marginalized groups.
Vardit Ravitsky, a professor of bioethics at the Universite de Montreal, told CTV News Channel on Wednesday that her main concern is that the tax will not increase pressure on the unvaccinated to get the jab, but will further certain inequities created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"From an ethical perspective, we're trying to select public health interventions that are the most equitable and just possible. This... does not respect this principle," Ravitsky said.
In a Canadian first, Quebec Premier François Legault announced on Tuesday that a new "health contribution" will have to be paid by residents who haven't received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine for non-medical reasons.
According to data tracked by CTVNews.ca, roughly 10 per cent of Quebec's population is unvaccinated, but provincial data shows they make up nearly half of intensive care beds.
