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       A woman looks at the Quebec government's new vaccine passport system, on a phone in Montreal, on Aug. 25.

       Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press

       Quebeckers are required starting today to show proof of vaccination to access businesses and events the government deems non-essential, such as restaurants, gyms and festivals.

       The government has said the passport system is necessary to keep the economy open and limit COVID-19-related hospitalizations.

       Millions of people in the province have been issued QR codes by the Health Department containing their vaccination statuses.

       They must present the codes along with identification in order to do such things as eat at restaurants or work out at gyms.

       Health Minister Christian Dube said the next two weeks will be a grace period during which penalties for non-compliance won’t be enforced.

       But starting Sept. 15, people and businesses caught violating the health order can face thousands of dollars in fines.

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