There is a renewed push for COVID-19 vaccine passports, but Ontario’s top public health experts say there are no plans to implement them in this province.

Jan De Silva is president and CEO of the Toronto Board of Trade and says requiring people to carry vaccine passports is the only way to safely reopen larger events like business conferences that will help revive tourism.

De Silva says a digital proof-of-vaccinations system could look similar to one implemented in Europe and some Asian countries.

But Ontario’s New Chief Medical Officer of Health says vaccine passports for within this province are not a focus for the governing Ford PCs at Queen’s Park.

“The vision of this government is to have the highest immunization rate possible through non-mandatory means to protect the population, and communities and businesses,” explained Dr. Kieran Moore.

Dr. Moore says international travel could require some sort of vaccine passport, but points out, that would be a federal responsibility.

Toronto mayor John Tory clarified on Wednesday morning, proof of vaccination, will be required in a number of situations, “because the government of Canada has said for example, that you can’t get back in the country if you go anywhere, without proving you’ve been vaccinated, or at least you can’t get back in without avoiding quarantine. You have places like Seneca College saying if you’re going to be on campus, we need you to show us that you’ve been vaccinated. We have some businesses that have begun to say this.”

In fact, Ontario residents receive an email of confirmation after receiving both the first and second doses of COVID vaccine.

Here in Ontario, 78 percent of eligible residents are partially vaccinated and 57 percent are fully vaccinated with two doses.