Mississauga will not move to mandate mask-wearing in common areas of condos and apartment buildings
Published July 23, 2020 at 3:38 pm
The City of Mississauga has no plans to mandate the wearing of non-medical masks or face-coverings in the common areas of condominium and apartment buildings.
At a July 22 press conference, Mayor Bonnie Crombie signalled that she would not be taking Toronto Mayor John Tory’s lead on pushing to mandate face coverings in lobbies, elevators and other shared spaces in privately-owned condo and apartment buildings.
“I just had that same conversation with [Peel Medical Officer of Health Dr. Lawrence Loh] and we believe that because these are privately run facilities that we don’t have the ability to…require mandatory masks,” Crombie told reporters.
Whether or not the city’s mandatory mask bylaw–which was passed by council at a July 8 meeting–should apply in residential buildings has been a topic of discussion since the bylaw came into effect.
Th mask bylaw, which requires the use of a non-medical mask or face-covering (such as a bandana or scarf) in any indoor public space in the city, came into effect on July 10.
The city passed the motion just days after Crombie appeared at a Region of Peel press conference to support a region-wide mandatory mask bylaw.
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Masks are currently required in retail stores, shopping malls, restaurants (except when eating or drinking), grocery stores, convenience stores, places of worship (except during a religious rite or ceremony that is incompatible with the face being covered), indoor sports and recreational facilities, common areas of hotels and motels and other short term accommodations, libraries, museums, galleries, theatres, concert venues, open houses, MiWay buses, taxis and ride-share vehicles, municipal buildings and other indoor spaces that are open to the public.
Loh said that although Peel Public Health cannot force condo corporations and property management to implement mandatory mask policies, it strongly encourages residents to wear masks or face-coverings in common areas.
“We do know that the wearing of non-medical masks where distancing is difficult, which may occur in certain common elements in condominium and apartments, still remains a strong recommendation from public health,” Loh told reporters.
“But as the mayor has identified, I believe it is up to these individual condominium corporations and apartments, given that they are private property, to take appropriate measures and policies to protect their staff and their residents.”
Loh said public health strongly recommends the use of masks in areas where physical distancing is difficult.
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