Vaccine passports create 'shrinking world' for homeless people, say advocates

Risto Puro wanted to attend the Sudbury Wolves' pre-season home opener on Sept. 17, but he was turned away at the door.

Although he said he was fully vaccinated against COVID-19, he did not have his proof of vaccination on him, and was not allowed in the venue.

Puro is homeless, and said he has been living in the woods around Sudbury. He said he had a printed copy of his proof of vaccination certificate, but his wallet was stolen.

"I can tell you there is a lot of theft going on because what they do is—I'm not into drugs myself—but what they do is they steal and they'll do their needles," he said.

While Ontario enforced its vaccination certificate rules for businesses like restaurants, gyms and sports venues on Sept. 22, the Ontario Hockey League enforced its own vaccination requirements for fans, players and staff earlier. The rules applied to pre-season games that occurred before the province's requirements came into effect.

"I haven't had too much enjoyment in the last year and a half, as far as being homeless," Puro said. "I wanted to go to a Sudbury Wolves hockey game."

Puro said he felt as though his rights were infringed upon and that the government has gone overboard with vaccination requirements.

Facing a shrinking world 

Lisa Long, the executive director of Sudbury's Samaritan Centre, which provides services for vulnerable groups in the city's downtown, said homeless people have faced a shrinking world since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

"There's less and less access to public spaces that they used to have access to; malls, public libraries, that kind of thing," she said. "So this is another way that their world is shrinking, that they're being denied access. So that's a concern."

Long said that even for people like Puro, who are vaccinated, homeless people face additional barriers if they want to access businesses that require photo ID and other documentation.

"Not many of them have a mobile phone or a device to download the passport on," she said. "Having a paper print out, again, there's the potential to have it lost, to have it stolen. Your number one priority is not keeping this piece of paper safe."

Long said she was relieved businesses like restaurants could still allow people inside without a vaccine passport if they were picking up takeout or delivery. 

But she said that as the weather gets colder, a coffee shop can provide a homeless person temporary shelter from a northern Ontario winter.

"A cup of coffee in a restaurant buys you an hour, maybe two hours of warming up in a coffee shop," Long said. "To be able to go somewhere, access coffee and access warmth and a bathroom as well, it makes a big difference to get out of the cold."

I go out every morning and I make sure they get their coffee for the day anyway.- Betty-Ann Serré, owner, Kuppajo Espresso Bar

Betty-Ann Serré owns the Kuppajo Espresso Bar in downtown Sudbury and has made it a priority to serve vulnerable people.

Serré collects donations from her customers, and donates her own money, so she can give away coffee and muffins to people who are homeless.

Her coffee shop is located near Sudbury's Memorial Park, where tent encampments were a common sight throughout the summer.

"The sad thing about it is some of these kids are younger than my kids," Serré said. "For me to go outside and sit with them, or when they used to come in and be able to sit down, to talk with them and just to hear them, it makes a difference."

Serré said she plans to continue to donate coffee and food to people who are homeless in Sudbury's downtown area. She added the new vaccine certificate requirements don't stop them from entering her shop to order a coffee to go.

But she echoed Long's concern, that many of them either aren't vaccinated, or don't have access to a valid piece of photo ID, or their vaccine passport. 

"They lose things, stuff gets stolen from them so they can never provide me with that information," she said. "I go out every morning and I make sure they get their coffee for the day, anyway."