BCHA Industry Update on B.C. Proof of Vaccination Requirement

The following excerpt was originally published by the BC Hotel Association on August 26, 2021 in the response to the B.C. Proof of Vaccination Requirement announcement:

“Industry partners at Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC), Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) and Destination BC (DBC) have engaged government and are working closely to detail the specifics of the order and ensure that the questions you submitted are answered in full. Furthermore, in the coming weeks we will be releasing a Toolkit for Step 4 of the reopening, and also detail Proof of Vaccination processes to clarify as much as possible for you. Our goal is to ensure that you have the tools and resources needed to operate safely and with confidence. The toolkit will be similar to ones produced for each stage of BC's reopening and will include key messages, operational steps, and added resources, among other critical information.

Our position for the Vaccination passport, is that similar to the circuit breakers, our front line employees cannot be the ones to police the public. We can however play a lead role in ensuring the communications, the understanding, and the policies are clearly communicated, and that our teams are trained as we continue to do everything we can to support a safe business environment between now and the end of the pandemic. We hear you loud and clear – the impact of the announcements without the specifics for operations/communications has once again had a devastating impact on you as business owners and operators. There's been an increase in stress due to uncertainty -- from cancelled meetings and events, which increase the fiscal hardship and liquidity concerns; to employees who are questioning the safety of the work environment without specifics around vaccinations; and once again, the need to update best practices for operating procedures.

Regarding Operations as of September 13

With the introduction of the BC Vaccination Card program, accommodators have not been identified as a setting where proof of vaccination is required; however, many properties have amenities or services that will require proof of vaccination to use. Please note, the government has no plans to mandate immunization as a condition of employment and that this decision is up to each individual business.

The following steps will help prepare accommodators for how to address new proof of vaccination measures.

• STEP 1 | CHOOSING A PoV POLICY

  • Prior to September 13th, accommodators will need to determine what their proof of vaccination policy is. While it is not essential for them to do so, accommodators can introduce their own policy.

  • The main options are outlined below.

    • OPTION 1

      • Make no vaccination requirement for either staff or guests to work or stay at the property

      • NOTE: Public spaces are mandated for masks, and therefore policies to control masks remain in place.

    • OPTION 2

      • Require that ALL employees AND guests be fully vaccinated in order to work and stay at the property

    • OPTION 3

      • Require that all guests be fully vaccinated in order to stay at the property – Employees can remain unvaccinated

    • OPTION 4

      • Require that all employees be vaccinated in order to work at the property – guests can be unvaccinated to stay at the property

  • For options 2, 3, and 4, operators will need to take action to develop and implement their chosen policies. The BCHA will be creating templates to better assist operators in this process. In the meantime, the Business Council of British Columbia and the team at Roper Greyell prepared an informative overview on the shifting public opinion and evolving legal landscape. Read the brief here.

• STEP 2 | DEVELOPING PROTOCOLS SURROUNDING PoV POLICY

  • Many of you reached out with questions on how the vaccination checks would work as you may have areas on property -- like breakfast rooms, fitness centres, meetings spaces, etc. -- that would require proof of vaccination in order to use. The BCHA is acutely aware of workforce crisis we are dealing with. It would be unreasonable to expect that workers be stationed at each point of entry, which would also create multiple points of potential confrontation for workers. The contentiousness of this program is a burden we certainly do not want our workers to bear. We will be including best practices for developing protocols and sharing it with you as soon as we have the necessary information from PHO.

  • Because of this, the BCHA is advocating that any accommodator offering services where proof of vaccination would be required, check for BC Vaccine Cards at the point of check-in, and only then. Should you wish to move forward with a vaccination mandate for guests, we also encourage PoV check at check-in; employee mandated vaccinations will need to be done internally.

• STEP 3 | COMMUNICATING ON YOUR CHANNELS

  • Clear communication to both guests and staff will be fundamental to ensuring that this transition goes smoothly. All of this information, key messages, and further details will be included in the PoV Toolkit that I mentioned is being built out and will be available to you as soon as we have the specific information from the Ministry of Health.

  • Operators will need to clearly communicate their proof of vaccination policy:

    • on their website

    • at time of online booking

    • vocalized at time of over-the-phone or in-person booking

    • in a pre-arrival email

    • with signage posted at entryways and in-front of any PoV-required setting ie. fitness centre, breakfast room, meeting space etc.

    • with OTA's and third party booking platforms

FINAL COMMENTS:

Please note, that we are committed to ensuring that our position to only check proof of vaccination at check-in is accepted by the PHO, in order to best protect businesses, our employees, as well as our guests. This approach will make the most sense operationally, and will refrain businesses from having to shut down their amenities and services. From the feedback we are receiving from you it also will grow confidence for travellers, as well as meeting and events organizers as we look to rebuild business this fall. We will keep you updated on where this advocacy work lands and will continue to keep you updated on the toolkit.”