The Regional District of Nanaimo is implementing a vaccine mandate for its employees. The move is in line with the City of Nanaimo and their announcement earlier in the week. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

VAX REQUIRED

RDN implements COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all staff

Nov 25, 2021 | 4:05 PM

NANAIMO — The Regional District of Nanaimo is following its City counterparts and requiring COVID-19 immunization for all staff.

An announcement from the RDN on Thursday, Nov. 25 confirmed the RDN’s policy will align with the City of Nanaimo by taking effect in early January.

It will require all of the 630 RDN management and other employees to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 10, 2022, or provide regular negative test results.

“The decision to require vaccines for all employees was not made lightly and only after much research and discussion with the management team, Union representatives and service partners,” Douglas Holmes, RDN CAO, said in a release.

Holmes added the policy is consistent with other jurisdictions to create a safe work environment.

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The RDN did not clarify how often testing would be required, who would pay for the testing program and any repercussions for workers who choose not to vaccinate or participate in testing.

In a follow up email to the Regional District, a spokesperson said they were not aware of how many of their employees are presently vaccinated.

The City of Nanaimo announced its vaccine mandate on Tuesday, Nov. 23 for its roughly 1,100 employees and contractors.

It’s policy provided testing up to Feb. 6, 2022, with test results good for 72 hours before having to be re-done.

City CAO Jake Rudolph told NanaimoNewsNOW on Tuesday the City was guided by other, larger municipalities and are now in the same leadership role locally.

“We wanted to position ourselves on this spectrum of not being at the front and certainly not being at the back. A number of organizations are looking to us in terms of showing that leadership.”

The City of Parksville said it will not be implementing a vaccine mandate in line with colleagues in Nanaimo or the RDN.

Deb Tardiff, City manager of communications, confirmed to NanaimoNewsNOW via email there are no conversations or imminent plans.

“This is based on assessment of risks for our staff and because we do not operate recreation facilities or transit,” Tardiff said. “We have significant safety measures in place and will continue to monitor going forward.”

The Town of Ladysmith said they currently have no vaccine mandate but did not elaborate on any future plans.

We are awaiting responses from the Town of Qualicum Beach and District of Lantzville on their positions to mandate COVID vaccinations for their respective employees.

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