Three municipal masking bylaws will be discussed at Red Deer city council meeting next week as the expiration date approaches.
An extension to the three bylaws is recommended by administration until the end of September, otherwise they will expire on June 1.
The three bylaws include:
- Transit Face Covering Bylaw 3654/B-2021 (enacted on Aug. 17, 2020)
- Face Coverings in Indoor Public Places and Public Vehicles Bylaw 3656/B-2021 (enacted on Nov. 23, 2020)
- Face Coverings in City Civic Facilities 3657/B-2021 (enacted on Nov. 23, 2020)
This past December, the province issued a public health order mandating face coverings in all indoor public spaces. On Feb. 1, council passed amendments to all three municipal bylaws, extending them until May 31.
“An extension until the end of September is recommended to provide the city time to get a clear picture of the impact of provincial vaccination strategies, on case numbers and hospitalizations locally throughout the summer months into the new school year,” the city said in a news release Friday.
“The province is clear that vaccinations are the primary driver to get through the pandemic, and all Albertans who want to be vaccinated will have both doses by the end of September.”
Administration is also recommending an amendment to the definition of face coverings permitted under the Face Coverings in Indoor Places and Public Vehicles bylaw, to align with the other two municipal bylaws and the province’s definition of face mask.
The recommendation is to remove face shields as an allowable option as they are proven to be less effective in protecting against droplets compared to cloth and medical grade disposable masks.
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