On June 16, Doug Ford announced the province would not make face coverings mandatory for the province and left it up to municipalities and /or individual retailers to decide on the issue of mandatory masks. Ontario’s Minister of Health supported this move saying “The guidance we have received from the Chief Medical Officer of Health as well as the other public health experts at the command table, is that the physical distancing is still the most important rule to follow, that we should continue to do that for the foreseeable future, and that masks should be worn in situations when that’s not going to be possible. On June 30, Halton Region and the Mayors of Halton released a joint statement declaring “Our priority is to protect the health and safety of our residents, which is why the Halton Municipalities, including Halton Region, Burlington, Halton Hills, Oakville and Milton are strongly encouraging the Halton community to wear a face covering or non-medical mask in all indoor public settings and for businesses to require them. We are issuing this guidance to do what is best for our community and to help stop the spread of COVID-19.” Meanwhile other municipalities were making masks mandatory. But Halton Region pointed to our low infection rates and crediting the public with voluntary compliance on things like hand-washing and physical distancing and urging residents to continue their vigilance in respect to the wearing of face coverings in all public indoor settings. Despite all this, Mayor Rick Bonnette tweeted out on July 4 that “There will be a motion at @_HaltonHills council meeting to make wearing a mask mandatory for shopping inside. We are not waiting for the Medical Officer of Health to make this call. Our numbers are low and we want to keep them that way. Your cloth mask should be washed daily.” The region of Halton currently has 49 active case of COVID-19. Halton Hills is home to just four of those. Tonight council voted unanimously (Councillor Somerville did not participate due to a conflict of interest) to draft a special temporary by-law to be voted on in a special council meeting to be held on July 9 at 1 p.m. “Council has authority under the state of emergency” says Councillor Johnson who put this motion forward. The proposed by-law would require individuals to wear a face covering, which covers the mouth and nose, with a limited number of exceptions, children under two, some medical conditions, persons who require assistance to put masks on and off, and employees in areas not accessible to the public or with physical barriers, to name a few. Wearing a mask was compared anecdotally to seatbelts and not smoking in public spaces which met with resistance originally but today are accepted and endorsed. Also, councillors spoke of residents threatening to shop elsewhere where masks are required. “I think its what the public wants” says Councillor Lawlor. A communication strategy for the by-law is being prepared in the event the temporary by-law is passed with enforcement details to be determined but with more of a lean on education.
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