The Surrey Board of Trade, as a part of the Premier’s Economic Recovery Task Force brings you the following information:
1. Who will need a vaccine card?
Anyone who wants to access the following places or do the following activities after September 13 will need to show proof of vaccination:
- indoor ticketed sporting events
- indoor concerts
- indoor theatre/dance/symphony events
- restaurants (indoor and patio dining)
- night clubs
- casinos
- movie theatres
- fitness centres/gyms (excluding youth recreational sport)
- businesses offering indoor high-intensity group exercise activities
- organized indoor events (e.g., weddings, parties, conferences, meetings, workshops)
- discretionary organized indoor group recreational classes and activities
- student housing on college and university campuses
2. How many doses do I need?
By September 13, you will need to be partially vaccinated with at least one dose.
By October 24, you will need to have been fully vaccinated with two doses.
3. Where do I get my BC Vaccine Card?
The portal is available through the provincial Health Gateway website as of today.
Once you’ve loaded the site, you need to enter your Personal Health Number, date of birth and the date of your vaccination — either dose one or dose two — in order to download their vaccine card.
The digital “card” is a one-page image with your name, confirmed vaccination status and a QR code. Save this image to your mobile device or print it and bring it with you. Those who are successfully able to load their card should not post their QR codes online for privacy reasons.
You can also call 1-833-838-2323 and they will arrange to have a printed version mailed to you. You can also visit a Service BC office to obtain your card.
You’ll need the vaccine card (printed or digital) with you to show when going to events or accessing businesses, along with your government ID.
- name;
- date of birth;
- and personal health number, which is on the back of your B.C. driver’s licence, B.C. Services Card or Care Card
- date of your vaccination (dose one or dose two)
To give everyone time to get their BC Vaccine Card, up to and including September 26, you can show other forms of proof of vaccination:
- Wallet-sized immunization record card (given out at vaccine clinics)
- Printed immunization record from Health Gateway
- Immunization record from your pharmacy (AstraZeneca/SII COVISHIELD)
- National Defence Canada COVID-19 vaccine record or card
- Provincial Immunization Registry record (used by Interior Health and others)
- ImmunizeBC record (used by First Nations Health Authority and others)
- Health authority immunization records:
4. Do I need to do anything in advance?
Confirm your vaccination records are up to date.
To start, you’ll need to download the BC Services Card app to your mobile device. You’ll need the app to register for Health Gateway, which is the platform BC residents can use to access their health records online.
Once you’re logged in to the gateway, you can find your COVID-19 immunization records and confirm they’re accurate.
If you believe your records are wrong, you’ll need to call 1-833-838-2323 to have them fixed.
5. Are there any exemptions?
The cards will not be required at grocery stores and other retail settings that haven’t seen high levels of transmission. They also won’t be necessary to access health services, enter a place of worship or vote in the upcoming federal election.
There is an exemption for children under the age of 12, but not for people who aren’t able to get the vaccine for health or religious reasons.
6. How will this be enforced?
Premier John Horgan said staff at venues or businesses could call police if patrons refuse to show their vaccine cards.
More information on the issue is expected.
7. What if I’m visiting from outside of BC?
Proof of vaccination will also be required for people visiting from out of province. They’ll need a provincially or territorially recognized official vaccine record, as well as valid government ID from the same province or territory.
People visiting from outside Canada will be required to show the proof of vaccination they used to enter the country, along with their passport.
8. How long will this system last?
The measures will be in place until Jan. 31, 2022, but could be extended.
To learn more about the vaccine card and how to access yours, visit: gov.bc.ca/vaccinecard
Information specific to businesses. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/
9. More Information:
To learn more about the vaccine card and how to access yours, visit: gov.bc.ca/vaccinecard
Information for businesses, including step-by-step instructions can be found here: gov.bc.ca/vaccinecard–
Businesses will be able to download the BC Vaccine Card verifier app at the Google and Apple app stores.
