London City Hall (credit: XFM News).
At a city council meeting Tuesday night, councillors voted overwhelmingly in favour of enacting a city by-law enforcing mandatory masks in all public enclosed spaces. Only Ward 1 Councillor, Michael Van Holst, voted against the by-law.
The by-law was first brought before council on Monday night, when Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Chris Mackie appeared before the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee to make the case for mandatory mask use. Mackie had been hesitant to pass legislation in the past, but said he’d be following the research behind mask-wearing to make the most informed decision on the matter.
Van Holst also voted “no” on Monday at the committee meeting on whether or not to bring the by-law before council, and held firm on his stance on Tuesday.
“By acting quickly as we have, I think we may have unintentionally moved towards the totalitarian views of World Health Organization,” said Holst at Tuesday’s meeting. “We’re a free country in Canada. Our national anthem says, ‘God keep our land glorious and free.’ I think as a result of this, we may be a little bit less free.”
Most other councillors supported the by-law, with Ward 5 Councillor Maureen Cassidy saying it was, “the least we can do as a council.”
“If this bylaw helps to prevent the death of one person, [it] will be more than worth it,” added Ward 10 Councillor Paul Van Meerbergen.
The by-law comes with a fine ranging from $500 to $100,000.
Exemptions for mandatory masks include:
- Children under the age of 12;
- People who have a medical condition or disability which inhibits their ability to wear a face covering;
- Those unable to apply or remove a face covering without assistance;
- People with accommodations under the Ontario Human Rights Code or the Accessibility for Ontarians with a Disabilities Act (AODA);
- Staff or agents of the operator of an enclosed public space who are in an area of the premises that is designated for them and not accessible to the public, or in an area separated by a physical barrier, such as plexiglass.
The Health Unit also said there will no need to provide proof of exemption.
Masks have been mandatory in London since July 20 inside all public enclosed spaces as well as public transit.
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