Mask mandates: Here’s where provinces and territories stand amid expert pleas

Here is a look at what provinces and territories in Canada say about the possibility of reinstating mask mandates as respiratory illness rages across the country.

In recent months, many Canadian health care workers, experts and some members of the public have been calling on provincial governments to bring back mask mandates as respiratory illness rages across the country.

Besides the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Canada is also dealing with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). On Monday, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reported that the country is entering an influenza epidemic, where cases of the flu rise further beyond the seasonal threshold.

Although Canada’s chief public health officer Theresa Tam said in a press conference that masking is still recommended, the implementation of a mask mandate is “up to the provincial authorities to decide what they might do in their own context.”

Here’s what the provinces and territories are doing so far.

On Monday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told reporters that the province will not permit any further masking mandates of children in Alberta’s K-12 education system.

Smith has said several times that Alberta will not bring back mask mandates to classrooms despite more and more students staying at home due to illness, Global News reported.

Alberta’s top priority right now is to deal with the shortage of children’s Tylenol and long wait times at emergency rooms, said Smith.

A group of organizations called on B.C.’s premier-designate David Eby, Minister of Health Adrian Dix and Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside to immediately reinstate a mask mandate in all public spaces, Global News reported Tuesday.