Thousands of unvaccinated Canadian employees are being fired or put on leave, squeezing already tight labour market
Workers whose livelihoods are on the line are flooding labour lawyers with calls
OTTAWA — Canadian employers are firing or putting on unpaid leave thousands of workers who refused to get COVID-19 shots, squeezing an already tight labour market and raising prospects of potentially disruptive legal challenges.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised vaccine mandates as a central part of his successful campaign for re-election in September, setting a precedent that has spread from the public to the private sector.
The mandate for federal workers is one of the world’s strictest, and the government has extended it to federally regulated spaces, which include airports, and to air and rail travellers.
Across Canada, hospitals, banks, insurers, school boards, police and some provincial administrations are now implementing similar policies for current and future hires.
Unvaccinated workers whose livelihoods are on the line — in a country where more than 83 per cent of the eligible population over 12 years old have had their shots — are flooding labour lawyers with calls.
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Only strict religious or medical exemptions are being accepted by most employers, who have a right to impose health and safety conditions in the workplace, Champ said.
Jobs squeeze
Meanwhile, 64 per cent of firms say they are facing more intense labour shortages than a year ago, which are preventing more businesses from meeting growing demand, the Bank of Canada said last month.
The jobs market will face added pressure from Nov 15, when as many as 20,000 unvaccinated federal workers — out of some 300,000 — are due to be put on unpaid leave.
“Departments and agencies will assess operational needs… and are focused on ensuring that there is no noticeable impact on service,” said Genevieve Sicard, a spokeswoman at Canada’s Treasury Board, which oversees the civil service.
