N.B. concert requires proof of vaccination; Saint John Chamber survey members on issue

Fredericton -

Fredericton’s Harvest Music Festival is a fall tradition, but this year’s event has added a precaution that’s anything but traditional.

The festival’s director of music programming, Brent Staeben, says everyone who attends an indoor event will need to be fully vaccinated.

"They’re going to need to have a proof of vaccination on them when they show up at either the Blues tent or the Playhouse," he said.

"They need to be prepared to share that proof along with government photo ID with our admissions staff before they’re allowed entrance into the venue. That’s just for our Blues tent and our Playhouse venues. If they’re coming to our new venue in Officers’ Square, obviously an outdoor venue, they won’t have to show proof."

Masks will be encouraged, but not mandatory.

Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce is surveying its members on vaccine passports, after several approached them looking for leadership on the issue.

"I am hearing from our businesses that they want the government to make a decision in one way or another because some of the members feel this is downloading the responsibility from government to businesses and that’s downloading responsibility as well as the risk," said CEO David Duplisea.

"So that’s why we launched the survey to see where we’re at and what the public’s appetite is looking like."

Duplisea said within 20 minutes of sending out the survey, almost 75 businesses responded.

About 85 per cent who’ve responded so far are in favour of a passport of some kind.

"And yet, of that same data set – 60 per cent said they wouldn’t necessarily ask their customers for it,” he said.

A spokesperson for New Brunswick department of health says vaccine passports "continue to be discussed" with Ottawa and other provinces.

"We anticipate aligning our vaccine records to meet standards required for international travel that are expected to be established by our Federal partners," said Bruce MacFarlane.

The Chamber’s survey is available until next week and they will share the final data.