Several provinces are dropping vaccine passports, but some businesses aren't on board

Although Saskatchewan has dropped its provincewide vaccine passport program for businesses, Colin Hall would like to continue requiring customers show proof of vaccination at his Regina yoga studio.

Even so, he has decided instead to nix the requirement. Hall said when he first introduced a vaccine requirement last July, months before Saskatchewan imposed a provincial mandate, he had support from his customers, but also faced a backlash. 

"We were subjected to a barrage of harassment online and by phone … 'We're going to boycott you, we're going to sue you, we're going to find out where you live,'" said Hall, co-owner of Bodhi Tree Yoga.

"I'm honestly not sure that I can handle another round of anti-vaxxers harassing us and trying to intimidate us."

Several provinces are dropping their COVID-19 vaccine passport programs for entry to restaurants, gyms and other venues, leaving it up to individual businesses to decide if they want to open their doors to unvaccinated customers. 

"You're kind of making businesses choose one side of the fence themselves, where previously governments made that choice for them," said Toronto-based retail consultant Bruce Winder. 

"It's going to be a tough one for businesses, because it's such a polarizing topic right now."

On Feb. 9, Alberta became the first province to nix its vaccine passport program.

"The threat of COVID-19 to public health no longer outweighs the hugely damaging impact of health restrictions on our society, on people's mental health, on their emotional wellbeing," said Premier Jason Kenney said at a news conference last week. 

Saskatchewan was next in line, ending its vaccine passport policy on Monday. Both Ontario and Manitoba plan to drop all proof of vaccination requirements on March 1. Quebec will phase out all vaccine mandates for businesses by March 14. 

Although most businesses are expected to drop their vaccine requirements in line with the provinces, not all are following suit — despite the possibility that they could face a backlash.

Dave Kantor, owner of The Cave Beastro in Edmonton, said he decided to keep his restaurant's vaccine mandate in place because he felt it was premature for Alberta to drop the requirement.

"I look at the [COVID-19] numbers. They're still pretty high," he said. "I don't feel that squeezing all kinds of people into a place and getting more people sick is what we need to do right now."

He said his decision has garnered mixed reviews, with some people applauding it. Others, not so much.