Support for B.C.’s vaccine passport is stronger now than it was before it was implemented, a new opinion poll suggests.
The Leger poll, conducted for Postmedia News, also found that more than half of British Columbians (59 per cent) have witnessed establishments not enforcing the vaccine passport. Yet support for enforcing the card is high, with 79 per cent of respondents saying the vaccine passport makes them more comfortable visiting businesses and services that require them.
The same number also said they want the passports to continue until the COVID-19 pandemic is over, while 45 per cent want them implemented indefinitely, according to the poll.
Support for using the cards in restaurants is up nine points since a similar poll was conducted in August, while it’s up eight points for indoor gatherings such as weddings and outside patio dining, according to Leger. Support is also up five points for indoor recreational classes, four points for indoor business meetings, and up three points for movie theatres and high-intensity group exercise.
“These numbers across the board are improving, but particularly for restaurants with that nine-point gain,” said Leger vice-president Jason Allsopp. “So that suggests that, in the beginning, yes we were OK with it, but now that we have seen it in action we’re feeling much more comfortable about it.”
Ian Tostenson, president of the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association, said vaccine passports are working. He said the first couple of weeks were slow for business as people were getting used to the card, but now many restaurants and bars are getting busier because the majority of British Columbians are feeling really comfortable with using the vaccine card.
While many British Columbians say the vaccine passport isn’t always being enforced properly, the poll also shows only half think employees are well-equipped to do that enforcement.
“There’s a disconnect here. We understand that we want someone to enforce it but they are not necessarily doing it properly the entire time, but maybe they haven’t been properly trained or given the equipment to do it right,” said Allsopp.
The Leger poll of 1,003 B.C. adults was conducted from Oct. 1-3. No margin of error can be associated with a non-probability sample.
