University of Ottawa mandates COVID-19 vaccines for students living on campus

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is nowmandatory for students planning to live at University of Ottawa residences in the upcoming academic year.

The university's website says domestic students must provide proof of vaccination and receive at leastone dose of a Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine before their move-in date,or within two weeks of moving in if they arrive unvaccinated.

Students who havehadone dose mustget their second shotwithin the timeframe recommended by Ottawa Public Health (OPH).

For international students, any vaccine approved by the World Health Organization will be accepted, although students who require a second shot must get one authorized in Canada.

While there are exceptions forhealth-related reasons or "grounds protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code," anyone who refuses to get vaccinated without an approved accommodation can have their residence agreement terminated, the university says.

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"The university is implementing extensive precautionary measures to offer a safe learning environment," said spokesperson Patrick Charettein an emailed statement.

"Medical and health professionals are clear that vaccination is the most effective means of protecting people and those around them."

The move comes amid an ongoing debate over whether governments, businesses, workplaces and other institutions should mandate immunization.

ArmaanSingh Kheppar, a representative with theUniversity of Ottawa Students' Union, said his peers are generally supportive of mandatory vaccinations.

"[It would] help ensure that students are as safe as possible,"said Kheppar.

Encouragedat Carleton, Algonquin

Carleton University and Algonquin College are taking a different approach. Those schools currently aren't requiringstudents get vaccinated to live on campus, but are strongly encouraging them to get both shots.

Students living in shared accommodationscan request a roommate who is vaccinated, according to Carleton's website, but the university says it can't guarantee all requests will be granted.

By mandating vaccination for on-campus student residents, theUniversity of Ottawa is following in the footsteps of a number of Ontario post-secondaryschools, including the University of Toronto,Western University and Fanshawe College in London, Trent University in Peterborough, andDurham Collegein Oshawa.

Seneca College is going a step further by restricting access to campus to onlystudents and employees who are immunized.Hundreds of universities and colleges across the U.S.have also made full vaccination compulsoryfor all those returning to campus.

The Ontario government, which has jurisdiction over education, hasn't instituted a similar policy provincewide.

In a statement, a spokesperson forMinister of Colleges and UniversitiesJill Dunlop said colleges and universities that receive provincial funding are independent and responsible for both academic and administrative matters.

"To keep students, faculty and staff safe, every school in Ontario has a program in place approved by their local medical officer of health,"the statement said.

Don't love it but justifiable, bioethicistsays

At a media briefing on Wednesday, Ottawa's Deputy Medical Officer of Health Dr. BrentMoloughneywouldn't say if OPH supports mandatory vaccination policies. Instead, hesaid vaccination reduces some of the risks associated with the university setting.

"It fits some of those C's that we worry about ... in terms of potential for crowding, potential for people to be in a confined space, the opportunity for prolonged close contact," Moloughneysaid.

"In those sort of situations ... certainly we would be recommending as many people get vaccinated as possible."

WATCH |Bioethiciston mandatingvaccines for students in residence:

Can a university mandate vaccines for students living in residence?

3 years ago

Duration 0:39

Dr. Kerry Bowman, bioethics professor at the University of Toronto, says requiring proof of vaccination for students living in residence, as the University of Ottawa is doing, may be ethically justified because the setting is defined as someones home.

Dr. Kerry Bowman, a bioethics professor at the University of Toronto, said mandating vaccines on campus raisesa number of ethical concerns and has the possibility to divide people.

"I don't love it. But a university residence is essentially a person's home, so that really does change the equation," said Bowman.

"People need to have an element of safety within that environment, so it's more justifiable."

The Canadian Civil Liberties Associationhas raised concerns that mandatory vaccination policies undermine personal choice.

Cara Faith Zwibel, a lawyer with the association, told Global News thatunvaccinated individuals are being discriminated against because of rules that limit their access to certain services.