Yellowknife politicians narrowly agreed to requiring proof of vaccination at city facilities Monday evening, Nov. 8.
In a vote of five to four, a majority of council members voted in favour of administration’s proposal which would allow the city to apply to the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer to significantly increase capacity caps at its facilities.
The vote result came as a surprise when Coun. Robin Williams changed his vote to yes shortly after making statements to the contrary.
City councillor Cynthia Mufandaedaza, who previously said she wouldn’t support using the proof-of-vaccination program, told council she’d heard a lot of feedback from residents since the meeting.
She said she heard from children who told her they just wanted to go to the pool with their friends.
Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty said council received more than 300 emails from residents in the week since councillors first discussed the issue at the Governance and Priorities Committee meeting, Nov. 1.
Council heard from 10 members of the public who presented their positions on the issue.
Alty thanked residents who reached out with their thoughts on the matter and said the diversity of opinions at the table was the mark of a healthy democracy.