Ontario's new, enhanced vaccine passports with QR codes have officially been completely rolled out, meaning that everyone in the province can now enter their health card number, birth date and postal code into the COVID-19 vaccination portal and follow the steps to get their QR code if they haven't yet already.

These codes (in either digital or paper format) can be scanned by businesses such as bars, restaurants, gyms, event venues and other indoor public settings using the Verify Ontario app as per the province's new rules for proof of vaccination.

The rollout started in cohorts based on birth month on Friday, and was finally opened up to everyone at 6:00 a.m. Monday.

Great news! Since the launch of the enhanced vaccine certificate with official QR code on Friday, over 2.2 million Ontarians have downloaded their copy in advance of October 22!

Starting today, anyone can download their enhanced vaccine certificate at https://t.co/oe5YrSxcEt.

— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) October 18, 2021

The move to require patrons at certain businesses to provide province-issued documentation proving that they're fully vaxxed starting Sept. 22 has been controversial, to say the least, but comes as all other provinces in Canada and many other parts of the world are doing the same.

While Premier Doug Ford has said that it's only a temporary measure and there are reports that it will be downgraded to a voluntary system in the foreseeable future, the announcement of the program did lead to a spike in vaccine appointments provincewide as residents found themselves barred from certain activities amid reopening.

The Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre (1-833-943-3900) will gladly mail or email codes to anyone who may have trouble downloading them.

Here's how to download Ontario's new vaccine certificate with QR code https://t.co/5BuKaPJD44 #Ontario #VaccineCertificate

— blogTO (@blogTO) October 15, 2021

While the new codes are being touted as a faster and easier way to gain entrance to settings that require residents to be fully inoculated, people can still use their old physical paper slips or the vaccination confirmation emailed to them post-jab if they prefer.