Canada’s major companies hope their operations won’t be disrupted when Ottawa requires federally regulated employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 starting early in 2022.
“It depends on whether employees that aren’t vaccinated will get vaccinated, or would they leave their jobs,” Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA) said in an interview Thursday. “In that case do we end up in a deficit of human resources to keep the grain supply chain functioning?”
The Canadian government will “make vaccination mandatory in federally regulated workplaces,” including grain elevators, through regulations under Part II of the Canada Labour Code, it announced in a news release Tuesday.
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“The government will consult with key stakeholders, including representatives of small and medium-sized employers, as it works expeditiously to finalize the new regulations, which would come into force in early 2022,” the release says.
Why it matters: Vaccination rates are generally lower in rural areas where most grain elevators are. When new federal regulations require all elevator employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 or lose their jobs it’s possible some facilities will be short-staffed.
The WGEA wants more details about Ottawa’s new vaccine mandate, but as of Thursday Sobkowich said he understood ongoing COVID testing would not be allowed in lieu of vaccination.
That’s Hugh Wagner’s interpretation too. The general secretary of the Grain and General Services Union also believes, based on legal opinions, if enacted with a clear, consistent policy and allowing workers time to get vaccinated, employers can demand workers be vaccinated.
“(I)f an employer goes about it the right way, following those steps that I have just laid out, then they likely can implement a mandatory vaccination policy and the employees will have to adhere to it if they want to continue to their job,” Wagner, whose union represents about 800 workers, mainly in Saskatchewan working at some Viterra and Richardson facilities, said in an interview Thursday.
“We have also advised union members that there may be situations… be they medical or reasons of religion, where an individual can raise a question or a challenge as to an exemption, but that is a very high bar to overcome.
“I’ve told people very explicitly that you might say it’s against your religion but actually with all the major religions on board with vaccinations, what you’re really saying is it’s your interpretation of your religion. That won’t get you a get-out-of-jail-free card.”
Asked if he thought grain companies can implement the vaccine mandate with a minimum of disruption, Sobkowich replied: “I hope so. It depends on the region. It depends on how employees react. It’s difficult to predict at this point.”
There are a number of elevators in Manitoba’s Southern Health District where the following six municipalities have the lowest vaccination rates in Manitoba:
| Vaccinated (per cent | |
| Municipality | of eligible population) |
| Stanley | 23.2 |
| Winkler | 42 |
| Hanover | 49.5 |
| Altona | 50.6 |
| North Norfolk | 53 |
| Roland/Thompson. . | 53.8 |
(Source: Manitoba Health)
As of Dec. 8 more than half of the COVID-infected patients in Manitoba intensive care units (ICU) were from Southern Health, which accounts for just 15 per cent of Manitoba’s population. Of those infected patients 92 per cent were either not vaccinated or had just one dose.
Meanwhile, the number of ICU cases continues to grow forcing Manitoba Health to cancel more surgeries and diagnostic procedures. Doctors Manitoba puts the backlog of 152,000.
“The (WGEA) member companies are fully supportive of as many Canadians receiving the vaccine as possible,” Sobkowich said.
“The grain companies continue to promote vaccinations among workers. It’s a sensitive issue and one that needs to be approached considering the perspectives of all the stakeholders. There are a number of questions that really need more fleshing out. In the midst of getting on board with the government’s mandate there are a number of questions that need to be answered.”
Some of them include rules around employers asking employees about their vaccination status, he said.
Vaccination is the best line of defence against COVID-19, the government release says.
“It not only protects those who are vaccinated, but it protects vulnerable populations like young children who aren’t yet able to get vaccinated,” the release says. “To finish the fight against COVID-19, protect workers and their families, and ensure businesses can get back up to speed, we need to do everything we can to keep public spaces safe, particularly as we continue to face new variants.”
Mandatory vaccination is already required for employees working in the federally regulated air, rail, and marine transportation sectors, and travellers using these modes of transportation.
There are about 18,500 employers in federally regulated industries, including federal Crown corporations, which together employ 955,000 people. That’s about six per cent of all Canadian employees.
The majority (87 per cent) work in companies with 100 or more employees, the release says.
These figures exclude the federal public service.
Including the federal public service, there are approximately 19,000 employers and 1.3 million employees, which represents about 8.5 per cent of all employees in Canada.
All federal public servants in the Core Public Administration, including RCMP members and reservists, must be vaccinated against COVID-19.
This requirement applies whether employees are teleworking, working remotely or working on-site. More than 95 per cent of employees have attested to being fully vaccinated and approximately 98 per cent have had at least one dose.
“Employers who do not comply with their obligations under the Canada Labour Code may be subject to compliance and enforcement measures, including administrative monetary penalties,” the release says.
“In recognition of Indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination and self-government, Indigenous governing bodies and First Nation band councils will be exempted from the new requirements. The government of Canada will work with Indigenous partners to provide information on the new measures should they wish to follow the same approach, however, doing so will be at their discretion. This is also in line with the Government’s commitment to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”
A copy of the consultation paper on the new vaccination mandate may be requested from the Labour Program by email.
— Allan Dawson is a reporter for the Manitoba Co-operator.
