City council to decide if Edmonton will continue with mask bylaw
CBC
Edmonton city council will discuss Tuesday whether the city should keep its face-covering bylaw in effect, one week after the Alberta government lifted its mask mandate around the province.
Edmonton is the only municipality in the province that still has a mask mandate in effect.
Coun. Sarah Hamilton said she's heard from many residents who want to keep the mask bylaw for now but said that the province removing its mandate has created confusion and conflict.
"I'm keeping an open mind but I absolutely understand that residents are tired of the confrontations," Hamilton said in an email Monday. "Regardless of what council decides, I'm concerned about the contingency plan in the event we have another severe wave of COVID-19."
The City of Edmonton brought in its mask bylaw in the summer of 2020, before the province introduced its own mandate.
Many staff at retail stores and restaurants, pubs, theatres and clubs are tired of having to police the mandate.
Scott Bladon, director of retail operations at the Blush Lane Organic Market in Edmonton and Calgary, said the company will follow what council decides but he expects masks won't be mandatory for much longer.
"I'm looking forward to moving forward," Bladon said Monday. "Hopefully in the next few weeks we'll be able to see the mask mandates relaxed, in Edmonton as well."
If the city lifts the bylaw this week, staff at Blush Lane will continue to wear masks for the next while, Bladon said.
Brendan Boyd, a political science professor at MacEwan University, said it's not a bad idea to have the mask bylaw if most citizens support it.
"I don't see it as bad public policy, I see it as good public policy," Boyd said Monday.
He said it may be prudent for the city to keep restrictions in place to try to avoid another wave of COVID-19 in Edmonton.
"Obviously that may not happen again but on the other hand, I don't think it's irrational to want to keep it around for a bit longer to make sure."
Premier Jason Kenney announced last week he plans to introduce an amendment to the Municipal Government Act to prevent towns and cities from enforcing their own public health measures.
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