St. Joseph's Health Care announced a vaccination mandate in October.
Wednesday, workers who did not follow that mandate lost their jobs.
St. Joseph's President and CEO Roy Butler addressed the media soon after to inform the public that 100 per cent of doctors and 99 per cent of other staff members at the hospital had been vaccinated.
Forty individuals who had not been vaccinated had their employment terminated. One staff member met the criteria for a medical exemption, and will remain employed with St. Joseph's.
"This is a difficult day, one we hoped we would not see," said Butler. "Our patients, our residents, out family caregivers, our community, will know that when they're in the walls of St. Joseph's, staff are fully vaccinated."
The 40 workers are being terminated without severance.
None of them have filed a union grievance at this point, Butler said.
"Anytime you've worked beside somebody and that individual's employment is terminated, it's difficult for staff," Butler added when asked if the decision would add to the workload of remaining staff members. "We acknowledge this is a difficult day and will be a difficult day for staff."
