Committee recommends transit mask mandate- but city council has final say

After many questions and much debate, Saskatoon’s governance and priorities committee is recommending that council approve a mandatory mask policy for transit users, adding that anyone visiting a civic facility is also recommended to wear a mask.

However, that decision must still be approved by city council at a meeting Monday, Aug. 31.

Three options were explored by city administration, including maintaining the status quo, or not make any formal resolution for the public to wear masks while using transit.

The second option, which passed unanimously, included mandating masks for transit users beginning Sept. 1, while also recommending those visiting civic facilities including city hall, also wear masks.

A third option, which was recommended at this time, would have been to mandate mask use for both transit users and anyone visiting a civic facility.

If council passes the second recommendation, the city would also provide masks free to the public, for two weeks at a total cost of $19,250, or 50 cents per mask.

There would be exceptions to the rules for anyone with underlying medical conditions, those who can’t put on or remove masks without assistance, children under the age of two, and first responders in an emergency situation.

Committee members heard that ridership on transit is expected to increase significantly over the next few weeks because schools will be back in session.

Director of Emergency Management Pamela Goulden-McLeod said an “aggressive” city and transit communication campaign could be rolled out in the coming weeks.

“There is a very robust communication plan being developed and awaiting council’s decision on this matter,” she explained. “Transit will be involved, but there will be separate strategies for transit as it is a separate issue.”

They include social media information, signage, announcements prior to boarding and other educational materials.

Non-Compliance of Mandate

One topic discussed at length included what would happen should transit customers or others visiting civic facilities become overly confrontational or aggressive.

Jim McDonald, Transit Director, said it would not be up to transit operators to enforce the mandate.

“We will not be able to enforce at the moment. That’s just not going to be possible. But if we see a certain trend happening on a certain bus or a certain route in a certain time, in a certain place, we can actually validate that that happened, find out how often those individuals are on the bus, and we can have some of our supervisory staff on hand to talk to and educate those individuals.”

He added that if police intervention is necessary, Saskatoon police have indicated that they are willing to support drivers.

Public Presentations

More than a dozen letters were written to city council supporting, opposed to or questioning whether items like face shields could be worn.

At this point, Goulden-McLeod told councillors that face shields were not part of the recommended types of face coverings.

Presenter Marjaleena Repo who was opposed to the recommendations told committee members that there had been no consideration of the disadvantages a mandatory mask police would have on individuals.

“No word on the physical and psychological effects of not being able to fully breathe, and not being able to hear and speak, to be heard by them and to be able to read their faces. Nothing about children who will be negatively affected by having to wear masks…the report you have in front of you assumes that the coronavirus is so dangerous that extreme measures must be taken to combat it.”

She added that there had only been 22 deaths in the province to date, and few hospitalizations, calling it “akin to similar viruses we’ve had before.”

However, Bus Riders of Saskatoon spokesperson Robert Clipperton welcomed the potential recommendations.

“The overwhelming majority of our 1,105 members agree with mandatory masking and we agree with most of the recommendations in this report which we believe will maximize public transit use in the COVID-19 environment.”

He added that many riders have not been on a bus since March because they don’t feel safe and that similar masking policies have already been mandated in Regina and Prince Albert.