The Premier of Québec announced today during a press conference that the vaccination passport will be required for access to big box stores (1500 m2 and over), with the exception of those whose main activity is the sale of groceries or pharmacy products. Although no date was specified during the press conference, the government website informs us that this measure will take effect on January 24, 2022.

Retailers will be required to use the VaxiCode Verif application to verify the vaccination status of individuals seeking access to their establishment. According to the government's website, VaxiCode Verif is the only government-authorized application that also contains up-to-date public health regulations. Retailers will be able to rely on this application to determine if a customer is properly vaccinated. VaxiCode Verif is a free application and is available on the usual platforms.

What if a customer is not properly vaccinated and their QR code scanned by VaxiCode Verif is red?  The government has issued some guidelines to assist retailers (and their employees) and recommends the following:

  • Inform the customer that they cannot enter the premises. You can direct them to Québec.ca/vaccinCOVID.
  • If the customer wishes to obtain additional information, you should recommend that they call 1-877-644-4545.
  • If the client refuses to leave the premises, we suggest the following steps:
    • Ask the client to leave the premises due to health regulations and the requirement to present a valid vaccination passport (green QR code) in order to visit the targeted facilities.
    • Explain that the Québec Government requires businesses to contact law enforcement if an individual refuses to comply with these reporting requirements.
    • Contact your regional police service.1

Also, please note that January 16, 2022 will be the last Sunday of mandatory closure for non-essential businesses.

Footnote

1. Taken from https://www.quebec.ca/sante/problemes-de-sante/a-z/coronavirus-2019/deroulement-vaccination-contre-la-covid-19/passeport-de-vaccination-covid-19/aide-pour-vaxicode-verif as of January 13, 2022.

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