Calgary schools not joining growing list of Canada universities with vaccine mandate

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A growing number of Canada’s universities and colleges are introducing vaccine mandates, but schools in Calgary have no plans to require proof of immunization for a return to campus this fall.

Four city post-secondaries told Postmedia this week they are not making immunization against COVID-19 mandatory, days after the University of Calgary announced neither masks nor vaccines would be required for students and staff returning to in-person classes.

At Mount Royal University, officials are still determining the specifics of some on-campus health measures, including distancing and sanitation policies. But the school has decided it will not mandate vaccines.

“Mount Royal University has strongly encouraged vaccination among the campus community because based on science it’s the best way to protect individuals and the community,” MRU said in a statement.

“Based on the provincial and federal legal landscapes, it would be challenging to require mandatory vaccines on our campus or require people to disclose if they have been vaccinated because that is personal health information.”

The Alberta University of the Arts similarly said it recommended jabs but would not require them for in-person attendance, saying “there is no mechanism” that would allow post-secondaries to mandate this.

However, provincial legislation doesn’t prohibit this type of policy, health law expert Lorian Hardcastle told Postmedia last week. The only legal limit on vaccine mandates is they must include a provision to accommodate those who are medically unable to be immunized, she said.

Neither the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology nor Bow Valley College provided rationale for not mandating vaccines, but both said they encourage students and staff to roll up their sleeves for their shots.

Mandatory immunization policies are gaining steam at universities across Canada. Several schools in the U15 — the group of public research universities that includes both the U of C and the University of Alberta — put forward mandates in the last week, including the University of Toronto, Queen’s University, Western University, the University of Ottawa and the University of Saskatchewan.

Beyond campuses, vaccine mandates are becoming more commonplace. Quebec recently announced vaccine passports for non-essential services, like dining out and going to the gym. And on Friday, the federal government said it will soon require all public servants to be vaccinated, as well as anyone travelling on commercial planes or trains.

Faculty members at the U of C have called on vaccine requirements, including 21 members of the school’s law faculty who sent a letter to administrators this week outlining “grave concerns” with the return to campus.

University president Ed McCauley said the campus is a “highly vaccinated environment.” In a recent opt-in survey, 93.6 per cent of 11,500 members of the U of C community said they are either currently fully immunized or plan to be by the start of the fall term.

jherring@postmedia.com

Twitter: @jasonfherring