OTTAWA CITY COUNCIL PASSED A NEW MANDATORY
FACE MASK POLICY
On July 7, a new directive from the Ottawa Public Health (OPH) went into effect ordering that masks be mandatorily worn in all indoor public settings. However, on July 15, the medical officer’s directive is replaced by the bylaw passed by the Ottawa City Council.
While the bylaw would likely contain the same details and thus redundant with the regional health units’ announcement, Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawa’s medical officer of health, said that the bylaw would provide “nuance” to the city’s “enforcement toolbox.” It would allow Ottawa to set its own rules around warnings and escalating fines.
The bylaw covers indoor locations where the public has access as they re-open. Visitors must wear a face mask at: restaurants and other eating and drinking establishments; retail locations; places of worship; sports facilities; museums, theatres and other entertainment venues; public areas in hotels and other short-term rental premises; and public areas in hospitals and other health facilities. The mandatory face mask bylaw will also apply to City of Ottawa buildings, facilities, including libraries and OC Transportation properties like its buses, trains and in stations
Di Monte, the General Manager of Emergency and Protective Services for the City of Ottawa, said the Bylaw Services officers would "not" be patrolling for people not wearing masks to issue fines, adding the bylaw is a "tool within our toolkit" for people who "continuingly" refuse to wear a face mask. Staff say, “The primary objective is to educate and inform, and gain voluntary compliance.”
"However a bylaw does provide a means to impose penalties through tickets should such action be deemed necessary, such as in the case where a warning is insufficient or with repeat offenders." The proposed fine ranges between $200 and $400 for not wearing a face mask. Keith Egli, Chair of Ottawa's Board of Health, said that “The bylaw will have a fine component to it, but frankly I hope we never have to use that”.
The bylaw is effective immediately and will remain in effect until the next regularly scheduled Council meeting on August 26. A staff says Council may extend the bylaw for an additional period of time if deemed necessary.