Burlington’s Marianne Meed Ward and other Ontario mayors call for Province-wide mask regulations

Published July 15, 2020 at 2:40 pm

Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and fellow members of the Large Urban Mayors Caucus of Ontario (LUMCO) are calling on the Government of Ontario to enact a province-wide bylaw on masks.

Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and fellow members of the Large Urban Mayors Caucus of Ontario (LUMCO) are calling on the Government of Ontario to enact a province-wide bylaw on masks.

In a letter to the Premier’s office, the group requested a consistent standard across Ontario.

Burlington City Council also asked the Province to act as part of their mask motion and bylaw that was unanimously approved at Monday’s (July 13) council meeting.

Halton Regional Council is voting on a mask bylaw Wednesday (July 15).

Guelph Mayor and LUMCO Chair Cam Guthrie sent Ontario Premier Doug Ford the following letter:

Dear Premier Ford,

On behalf of Ontario’s big-city mayors, thank you for your government’s ongoing leadership and action as we respond to the unprecedented crisis of COVID-19.

Cities and towns across our province continue to wrestle with the financial and operational implications of reopening our economy. While we await an announcement about emergency municipal operating funding, we have also turned our attention toward establishing practical solutions and policies to further slow the spread of COVID-19 as we move into Phase 3 of the province’s re-opening plan.

This letter is to inform you that today, the Large Urban Mayors’ Caucus of Ontario (LUCMO) passed the following resolution:

WHEREAS wearing non-medical masks or face coverings is vital to reducing the spread of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS the province is moving toward phase 3 reopening, which will result in more people traveling between regions and visiting more businesses such as restaurants, gyms and retailers; and

WHEREAS many local and regional governments in Ontario have passed their own individual by-laws making non-medical masks or face coverings mandatory in indoor public spaces which can be inconsistent between communities causing confusion for the public;

THEREFORE be it resolved that LUMCO calls on the Government of Ontario to make wearing non-medical masks or face coverings mandatory in indoor public spaces across the province to ensure consistency, increase compliance, and help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the Province to facilitate safe economic recovery for Ontario’s citizens, businesses and communities.

Sincerely,

Cam Guthrie Chair,

LUMCO Mayor,

City of Guelph

Cc: The Hon. Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

The Hon. Christine Elliot, Minister of Health

Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Association of Municipalities of Ontario

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