Council to debate making masks mandatory on buses, not indoor facilities

Saskatoon City Hall is recommending making masks mandatory on city buses, but not in civic facilities or outdoor public spaces.

The recommendation from city administration will be debated by council during its governance and priorities committee meeting on Monday.

“COVID-19 is still a public emergency and according to public health experts, it will continue to impact city services and the community for months to come,” Pamela Goulden-McLeod, the director of the city’s emergency management organization, said in a news release.

“At a local level, we continue to follow recommendations from the Government of Canada and the provincial government to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission using the hierarchy of controls. The hierarchy suggests that non-medical face coverings should be used when other controls such as staying at home, physical distancing, installing barriers, and altering services cannot be achieved.”

Administration recommends masks be required for anyone travelling on city buses and recommends, but does not require, masks be worn at city-run facilities. The report also outlines other measures and considerations for a community-wide mask bylaw.

“The health and well-being of our employees and residents continues to be our priority in putting these recommendations forward,” Goulden-McLeod said in the release. “By following the recommended safety precautions, and wearing a non-medical face mask indoors, we can continue to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community and protect the health of our family, friends and neighbours.”

The release added the city would follow any provincial recommendations should any public mask laws be passed. Education would be the preferred route of informing the public of COVID-19 safety precautions rather than enforcement.