The City’s decision not to extend its own Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law beyond its expiration date of August 26, 2021 does not mean the need or requirement for masking will be abandoned. Province-wide masking regulations continue to be in effect. After the by-law’s expiration date, the City will follow provincial masking regulations in place at any given time after August 26.
The Ontario government website has information on masking and other regulations for Step 3 and beyond the reopening plan.
When the City of Ottawa enacted its by-law, a province-wide masking regulation was not in place. And after, the effective date of the by-law continued to be extended to provide additional support of overall provincial regulations.
So, don’t abandon your mask in your pocket, purse or car glove compartment yet. You will need to bring it with you to wear in stores, museums, malls, and the transit system – including OC Transpo buses, trains, stations, and on ParaTranspo minibuses and taxis. And not abiding by masking requirements will still carry fines.
In the future, the City can re-enact the by-law should the local situation or spread require a different approach from the rest of the province.
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