Cross Canada Coalition Launches Campaign to Encourage People to Get Vaccinated as Soon as They Can

OTTAWA, ON, May 28, 2021 /CNW/ - Today marks the launch of the Faster Together campaign – a national volunteer-based initiative designed to encourage up-take of COVID-19 vaccinations.

Within a short period of time, dozens of organizations representing business, industrial and educational sectors, labour unions, as well as individuals have come together to help develop a campaign, around the theme "Getting vaccinated can bring us back together, faster".

The message is simple: the faster we all do our part and get vaccinated, the faster we can all get back together. This is how we get our lives and businesses back to normal and the business community is eager to help assure Canadians that vaccines are safe and effective. We'll all get to the finish line faster by working together.

— Perrin Beatty, President and CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

The volunteer Task Group is co-chaired by Bruce Anderson of Abacus Data & spark*advocacy, and Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, and welcomes any organization or individual that wants to help use the creative materials the campaign will make available to reach people and encourage vaccinations.  

Vaccination is an important tool in the fight against COVID-19. Innovative initiatives like "Faster Together" bring organizations together to help encourage Canadians to get vaccinated when it's their turn, protecting themselves and their communities, and helping us get back together, faster.

— The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health

The latest research by Abacus Data shows that 21% of Canadians are hesitant about getting a COVID-19 vaccination. This is the principal target for the messages Faster Together is putting into a free-to-use digital warehouse. spark*advocacy has donated the creative and production time for the campaign and Abacus Data has provided research on the same basis. The project benefited from early encouragement and counsel from the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, the Canadian Bankers Association and BIOTECanada as well as officials working in the public sector who are deeply involved in these matters.

Faster Together is doing important work to encourage more Canadians to get vaccinated. Every action we can take to protect ourselves and fight this pandemic, brings us closer to seeing our friends and family, and fully re-opening our economy. Small businesses are doing their part to flatten the curve, and keep their employees safe through workplace safety and rapid screening measures, but it will take all Canadians working together to ensure we re-open and stay open. Let's get this done so we can build back faster and better

— The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade

According to Bruce Anderson: "We welcome everyone who wants to be part of this volunteer effort – it's easy and makes a difference". According to Hassan Yussuff: "Getting vaccinated is the quickest way for all of us to get back together safely and return our economy to health."

For more information on how you can help, please contact us.

ABOUT FASTER TOGETHER
Overcoming vaccine hesitancy to speed the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. 

This is a voluntary effort of a wide variety of people and organizations working together to promote COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and help speed a recovery from this pandemic. Creative services have been donated by spark*advocacy and research support provided by Abacus Data. Bruce Anderson (spark and Abacus) along with Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress have been convening a group effort. The current list of participants can be found on our website and is expanding regularly: www.fastertogether.ca 

LIST OF PARTNERS   /  LISTE DES PARTERNAIRES

19 To Zero
Abacus Data
ACTRA National
Airbnb
Air Canada
Atlantic Canada Airports Association
Alan Doyle
Allan Hawco
Amalgamated Transit Union
Ambermac Media (Amber MacArthur)
American Federation of Musicians
Banff & Lake Louise Hospitality Association
BC Maritime Employers Association
BC Council of Forest Industries
BC Pharmacy Association
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
BIOTECanada
Boilermakers International
Boston Consulting Group
Brandon University
Brantford-Brant Chamber of Commerce
Brescia University College
Business Council of Canada
Caisse de Depots
Canada Life
Canada Life & Health Insurance Association
Canada's Building Trades Unions
Canadian Actors' Equity Association
Canadian Airports Council
Canadian Association of Amusement Operators
Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions
Canadian Bankers Association
Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
Canadian Independent Music Association
Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Live Music Association
Canadian Media Producers Association
Canadian Real Estate Association
Canadian Ski Council
Canadian Union of Public Employees
Canadian Urban Transit Association
Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce
Capilano University
Cenovus Energy Inc
Charlottetown Airport Authority
Cineplex
Colleges & Institutes Canada
Council of Canadian Innovators
Creative BC
Cynthia Dale
Deer Lake Airport Authority
Directors Guild of Canada
École de technologie supérieure
Endless Events Group
Event Staff Canada
Facebook
FETCO
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Fredericton International Airport Authority
Food, Health & Consumer Products Canada
Forrest Products Association of Canada
Fredericton International Airport
Gander Airport Authority
Global Citizen
Greater Moncton International Airport Authority
Halifax International Airport Authority
Hotel Association of Canada
Insurance Bureau of Canada
IATSE
Indigeno Travel
Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Intl Union of Operating Engineers
Int'l Assn of Machinists & Aerospace Workers
Jane & Co
Janet Annesley
King's University College at Western University
Laborers' Intl Union of North America
Langley Chamber of Commerce
MacEwan University
Manulife
Maple Leaf Foods
Maple Leaf Sports/Ent
Maple | Maskawâtik
Mark Critch
Memorial University
Milton Chamber of Commerce
Mining Association of Canada
Motion Picture Association of Canada
Motor Coach Canada
Mount Royal University
Mount Saint Vincent University
Movie Theatre Association of Canada
Music Canada
National Airlines Council of Canada
National Newswatch
Newmarket Chamber of Commerce
OCAD University
Ontario Motor Coach Association
Ontario Public Service Employees
Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG)
Ottawa International Airport Authority
Pacific National Exhibition
Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce
Peter Mansbridge
Ponoka and District Chamber of Commerce
Port Hope & District Chamber of Commerce
Port Saint John
Professional Institute Public Service
Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce
Regina Exhibition Association Ltd
Retail Council of Canada
Rob Russo
Saa Dene Group of Companies
Saint John Airport
Sault Ste Marie Airport Development Corp
ScienceUpFirst
Service Employees International Union
Simon Fraser University
Sirius XM Canada
Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce
spark*advocacy
St. John's International Airport Authority
Stratford Festival
Students' Association of MacEwan University (SAMU)
Sun Life
Suncor
Sussex & District Chamber of Commerce
Teamsters Canada
Teck Resources
Telus
TikTok Canada
Timmins Chamber of Commerce
Toronto International Film Festival
Tourism Industry Association of Canada
Tourism Industry Association of AB
TransLink
Trinity Western University
Tumbler Ridge Chamber of Commerce
Unifor
United Food and Commercial Workers
United Steel Workers
Universal Music Canada
Universities Canada
University of the Fraser Valley
University of Guelph
University of Saskatchewan
University of St. Michael's College
Victoria Airport Authority
Vista Projects
WestJet
Wilfrid Laurier University
Winnipeg Airports Authority
Yarmouth & Area Chamber of Commerce
York University

SOURCE Faster Together

Hassan Yussuff, Co-Chair, Canadian Labour Congress, [email protected], 613.851.7881; Bruce Anderson, Co-Chair, Abacus Data / spark*advocacy, [email protected], 613.882.0929