By Steve Hubrecht
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The Canal Flats council adopted a COVID-19 vaccination policy for municipal staff last week, making the village both the first and only municipality in Columbia Valley with such a policy.
The policy does not mandate or require COVID-19 vaccination for Canal Flats village employees, but does strongly recommend it for all municipal staff who are medically able to receive the vaccine.
Council members adopted the policy during their Monday, Sept. 27 meeting, following consultation with village staff and following extensive discussion on the topic during council’s previous meeting on Monday, Sept. 13.
“There is not a mechanism for municipal governments in B.C. to mandate vaccinations,” says Canal Flats chief administrative officer, Adrian Bergles, during the Sept. 13 meeting, later adding, “at the same time there is a mandate for employees to create a safe workplace for their staff.”
He outlines that, in the view of the village, the protection and safety of staff include the village doing what it can to reduce transmission of COVID-19.
“COVID-19 vaccinations are not a requirement for working at the village of Canal Flats, but receiving a vaccination is strongly recommended for village of Canal Flats employees who are medically able to do so,” reads the policy, adding that employees can take time away from work, including up to three paid hours, for vaccination appointments. The policy adds that both vaccinated and unvaccinated employees must follow infection prevention protocols, such as hand washing, sanitizing, wearing a mask, and informing management if they experience COVID-19 symptoms.
Canal Flats Councillor Marie Delorme, during the Sept.13 meeting, questioned why the village had no ability to mandate vaccination for its employees, pointing out that the town of Banff had put just such a mandate in place in late August, as COVID-19 cases surged across Alberta and as Banff reported the highest per capita rate of active COVID-19 cases in that province.
“I’m not sure how Banff managed to do that,” says Bergles, later adding “this is a strong recommendation (for vaccination), if you are able to do so, but not a mandate…if we were to mandate vaccination (for municipal employees), we would be a trailblazer in B.C.”
Bergles noted that other communities in B.C. may soon have similar policies, although not mandates, that he has been in conversation with other chief administrative officers across the province on the topic, and that indeed the policy is based in large part upon a template provided by the provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Councillor, Doug McCutcheon, said at the Sept. 13 meeting that he wanted Bergles to consult every member of the village staff before council considers adopting the policy, and Canal Flats mayor, Karl Sterzer, added that staff needed to be given the option to voice any concerns they may have about the policy anonymously.
“That’s a pretty fair-minded thought,” replies Bergles. “This is somewhat of a loaded topic in this day and age…it seems to be dividing our society…I don’t see this policy as intrusive, but it is a new frontier.”
In response, McCutcheon reiterated he felt it necessary to give the entire staff a chance for input first and then went on to add that, in his personal opinion “I think down the road we’re going to see this is pretty much the thing. That everybody’s going to have to be vaccinated in order to work in certain workplaces. That’s going to happen. It’s happening now [in Banff]. I can’t see how that’s going to differ in the future. But if we can get people to buy in and say ‘yeah, I’m okay with it,’ I think we’ll win in the end, so I would appreciate that effort. A simple email to everybody, asking them if they have any issues, to connect with CAO Bergles on it, would be a really good approach.”
At the Sept. 27 council meeting, Bergles reported that, since the Sept. 13 council meeting, the policy had been discussed at a village staff meeting “and no objections were raised.”
The council members at the Sept. 27 then voted to adopt the policy.
Although other B.C. municipalities may already have or may soon have COVID-19 vaccination policies, Canal Flats is the only one in the Columbia Valley.
“The district of Invermere does not have a COVID-19 vaccination policy,” explains Invermere chief administrative officer, Andrew Young. “With respect to COVID-19, we follow the directions provided by the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) and the Ministries of Health and of Municipal Affairs.”
“We don’t have a policy. All our staff members are vaccinated,” Radium chief administrative officer, Mark Read told the Pioneer.
