City hall will not force residents to wear masks when they ride city transit, but instead, it will encourage users to wear a mask due to a lack of physical distancing.
City council discussed the issue of whether to make masks mandatory on buses and in all municipal-owned buildings during a special meeting on Aug. 31. Ten residents watched from the gallery, with five of them giving presentations about why council should not mandate masks.
After a lengthy discussion, council voted 6-1 against forcing users to wear masks on transit and in municipally-owned buildings; Coun. Brian Swanson was in favour. If that motion had passed, city administration would have brought forward a bylaw to solidify making masks mandatory for anyone over age eight and to penalize anyone $100 for violating the bylaw.
Instead, council voted 6-1 to encourage users to wear a mask on transit, since two metres of space cannot be maintained on buses. This goes into effect Tuesday, Sept. 8, the same day schools return and hundreds of students take public transit.
Swanson was opposed.
Suggestion to wear masks
The full motion that council approved encourages transit users to wear masks, following the Saskatchewan chief medical health officer’s recommendation; that city administration re-evaluate this decision when necessary, in 2021, or when the province lifts the public safety alert, whichever comes first; that transit users not be penalized for not wearing a mask, and; that no user be refused service for not covering his or her face.
“I believe we should follow the chief medical health officer and recommend that masks be worn, especially on city transit, because there is no social distancing on the bus,” said Coun. Dawn Luhning, who introduced the motion.
Mayor Fraser Tolmie supported the motion, saying city-owned buildings are already regulated with precautionary measures from the provincial government; business owners — and not the city — should decide whether customers should wear masks; residents of various ages ride the bus together in a confined space and should likely wear a mask, and; that some people have respiratory issues and can’t wear masks.
Residents want to do what’s best for themselves, their families and their neighbours, said Coun. Crystal Froese. She believed those who ride the bus would probably wear a mask, while those who cannot, such as parents with kids, would tell the bus driver so there wouldn’t be conflict or judgment, but instead, compassion.
“This is a public health issue that should have been dealt with at the provincial level. I really don’t feel we had a lot of collaboration here … ,” she added. “I don’t want this to be a divisive issue in the community, so that’s why I do not support the fine. The last thing we want to see is a police officer to show up in front of the bus (to hand out a fine).”
Announcing the change
City administration will use signs in buses to communicate this change, while it will also announce this to the public immediately, said city manager Jim Puffalt, noting city hall had already installed Plexiglas in the buses. City hall has also spoken with the immigrant organizations so they can communicate this change with their clients.
This is only a recommendation and not a mandatory order, he added. This won’t prevent people from getting on the bus who don’t have a mask. City administration does not want to ban anyone from riding the bus over this issue.
Swanson opposed the motion since he didn’t think it made a substantive difference or change in behaviour, while it was also likely not in order. He thought passing such a motion debased the office of council since they were only recommending residents do something, as opposed to mandating they do something.
Tolmie, Luhning and Coun. Chris Warren disagreed with Swanson’s comments, as they pointed out this motion deals with the challenge of the pandemic; that it follows the recommendation of the provincial medical health officer; and that this is a public issue and residents on both sides of the debate provided input.
Swanson can suggest a motion is out of order, explained city clerk Myron Gulka-Tiechko. However, most members of council appeared to endorse the motion and thus, there was no issue.
The next regular council meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 8.
