Ottawa’s construction industry is putting heat on city hall to stop a COVID-19 vaccination policy from applying to contractors.

“The times have changed dramatically these past few months and vaccine policies are being reviewed and either being modified or dropped,” John DeVries, president and general manager of the Ottawa Construction Association, wrote to Mayor Jim Watson and councillors on Friday afternoon.

DeVries called on the city to state a plan for the mandatory vaccination policy.

The city’s mandatory vaccination policy started on Nov. 15, with the rule positioned as a “temporary measure”. The policy was to apply to municipal public servants and all contractors doing work on behalf of the city.

The construction association and the city seem to have different understandings of how the vaccination policy is being enforced when it comes to contractors.

DeVries’ message to council talked about the city’s supposed March 31 “implementation date” for the policy to be applied to contractors.

However, a senior city bureaucrat suggested on Monday that municipal public servants and contractors didn’t have different dates for mandatory vaccinations.

“Contractors working for the city were not given a separate implementation date to adhere to this policy,” according to Valerie Turner, general manager of the innovative client services department, which includes human resources and legal risk management.

“The city continues to follow public health advice and to adhere to regulations set out by the Province of Ontario with respect to COVID-19.”

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