Mandatory Masks (covid-19 response)
Mayor Heron has called a Special Council Meeting to hear the latest information about mandatory mask-wearing in public places. Although the CMOH has recommended mask use indoors and when physical distancing is not possible, the province has not provided any guidance or advice about appropriate triggers for requiring masks in a particular region. And “while the City of St. Albert has continued to follow Provincial Guidance through the COVID-19 pandemic, the Province has indicated that the decision to make masks mandatory will be left to the authorities in each local jurisdiction”.
Administration has provided a backgrounder to help Council understand our role and options. (My deepest thanks to the staff who put this report together with almost no notice. You are the best.) Health policy is typically outside our jurisdiction, but it’s not unheard of - smoking/cannabis consumption have been regulated through municipal bylaw, as have bike helmets and conversion therapy.
Across the province, other municipalities are similarly starting to consider their options. Calgary will be implementing a mandatory mask bylaw starting August 1 that applies to private businesses accessible to the public as well as municipal facilities. Edmonton’s Emergency Advisory Committee has recommended that masks be required on transit and in City facilities - Council meets Wednesday to consider the recommendation.
Exceptions in the Edmonton recommendation include:
· children under two years old;
· people with underlying medical conditions;
· people unable to put on/remove a mask without assistance;
· people engaging in physical activity; and,
· those who are eating and drinking inside an establishment.
I’ve also been researching how these regulations have been applied in other jurisdictions, and I found Nova Scotian’s exemption for uncooperative children under 4, which I appreciate as a parent. Calgary also has additional exemptions:
· People who are caregiving for or accompanying a person with a disability where wearing a face covering would hinder the accommodation of the person’s disability
· People who have temporarily removed their face covering where doing so is necessary to provide or receive a service (for example, a visit to the dentist)
That said, Admin has proposed possible actions, including:
Continue leaving Health policy to the province and do nothing at this time,
Direct Admin to require masks in City buildings and on transit, like the Edmonton proposal. (The affected businesses/organizations were supportive of this recommendation.),
Direct Admin to prepare a bylaw to require masks in City buildings and on transit. (This would allow more enforcement.)
Direct Admin to prepare a bylaw to require masks in publicly-accessible buildings, which would apply to City buildings and private businesses, like the Calgary bylaw.
These potential actions do not contemplate masks being required at busy outdoor events like the farmer’s market.
The feedback that I’ve received to date has been overwhelmingly supportive of requiring masks through legislation, but I still have significant concerns about this kind of bylaw. There remain many questions about enforcement (challenging, at best), stigmatization about those who cannot wear masks, and triggers for lifting any kind of regulation. My family has been wearing masks for a while now - my partner is even part of the minority who wears one while working out in indoor public places - but I also recognize that we have to kindly respect that not all persons can wear masks. I encourage anyone reading this to please reach out if you know of other perspectives Council should consider.
This is a brief and incomplete overview of our meetings, with my personal comments sprinkled in - In no way are my opinions representative of the official direction of council or the City of St. Albert. Please let me know of any typos or errors.