Protests were held in some Ontario cities Wednesday after the Ontario government announced a COVID-19 vaccine certification system that’s set to come into effect later this month.
As Ontario Premier Doug Ford made the announcement at Queen’s Park in Toronto, a crowd of around anti-vaccine passport protesters gathered outside.
A protest was also then held outside of a hospital on University Avenue not far from Queen’s Park.
In Oshawa, demonstrators gathered outside of the Lakeridge Health hospital.
And in London, Ont., social media images showed a large crowd chanting “freedom” outside of a hospital.
The Ontario government announced Wednesday that it will soon be requiring COVID-19 vaccination certificates for several indoor public settings such as restaurants, gyms and nightclubs.
“If people want to get angry, they want to protest, come down to Queen’s Park,” Ford said during his press conference, asking that people don’t take frustrations out on business owners once the measure comes into effect.
“They can protest, they can do cartwheels, do whatever they want down here.”
The vaccine certification program takes effect in Ontario on Sept. 22.
— with files from Nick Westoll