Considerations in Passing Mask Bylaws

Is your municipality thinking about passing a bylaw requiring people to wear masks or face coverings to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, you aren’t alone. Here are some suggestions for things you may want to keep in mind:

1.       How far should the bylaw go? In other words, where will the bylaw require people to wear masks? Some options include requiring masks in all indoor public spaces, requiring masks in both indoor and outdoor public spaces, and requiring masks just in certain public spaces such as municipal buildings and public transit vehicles. Where you require masks will probably depend on your municipality’s unique characteristics.

2.       What exemptions will apply to the mask requirement? Some people might be unable to wear masks, such as young children, people who cannot safely put on or take off a mask on their own, and people with medical conditions that could be made worse by wearing a mask. You will want to think about what exceptions to the mask requirement you want to set out and also how these exceptions will be administered.

3.       How long with the mask bylaw be in place? We are all hoping that COVID-19 will be a temporary situation, and with luck masks will eventually no longer be needed. Will your bylaw set a specific date to reconsider, will your mask bylaw remain in force until Council decides it is no longer needed, or will your mask bylaw have built in triggers for when masks are or are not required?

We are happy to help you navigate the new challenges that municipalities are facing when it comes to mask/face covering bylaws and other issues that are coming up as we face life with COVID-19.