Calgary Covid-19 Mask Bylaw (NO LONGER IN EFFECT)

Please note this by-law has been repealed and is no longer in effect.

In times of need or crisis, our city comes together to support each other. We are known for our kindness. For the safety and protection of our community, the City of Calgary has made the requirement of wearing a face covering or masks in indoor public areas and public vehicles mandatory.

The Temporary Face Coverings Bylaw mandates that face coverings be worn on public transit and public vehicles (for hire) and in all indoor public spaces, including City of Calgary buildings. The bylaw includes all indoor areas that are open to the public in businesses, stores, as well as any indoor space that is open or accessible to members of the public.

Penalties and Enforcement

The City of Calgary’s primary focus is educating Calgarians on the importance of wearing face coverings in indoor public spaces and public vehicles, rather than enforcement.

Failure to wear a face covering where required or failure to display prescribed signage can result in a penalty of $50 to $200.

Please contact 311 if you have any questions about the bylaw or review the FAQs below.  

Exceptions

Exceptions to the Temporary Face Coverings Bylaw include:

  • Children under 2 years of age
  • People with underlying medical conditions or disabilities inhibiting their ability to wear a face covering
  • People who are unable to place, use or remove a face covering safely without assistance
  • People who are eating or drinking at a public premises that offers food or beverage services
  • People engaging in an athletic or fitness activity
  • People who are caregiving for or accompanying a person with a disability where wearing a face covering would hinder the accommodation of the person’s disability
  • People who have temporarily removed their face covering where doing so is necessary to provide or receive a service (for example, a visit to the dentist)

*Please scroll to the end of this post to view locations handing out free disposable masks. 

Physical distancing in indoor public spaces is inconsistent and unpredictable and part of why this temporary bylaw is necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

People will be expected to wear a face covering in any part of an enclosed space to which the public can readily access. The bylaw excludes premises for which there is an enrolment or membership requirement such as schools and educational institutions.

The rule of thumb is, if the public does not have access to it, it will be exempt under the bylaw.

The bylaw will require businesses to display a prescribed sign at a location that is visible to a person immediately upon entering the public premises or public vehicle.

The business is not expected to evict a customer or refuse service to people who are not complying with the bylaw.

Calgarians must wear a face covering in a public indoor space or a public vehicle, unless the person is separated from others by an installed screen, shield or other barrier. (For example, plexi glass)

Physical distancing in indoor public spaces is inconsistent and unpredictable and part of why this temporary bylaw is necessary.

The focus of this bylaw is on education first, with enforcement as a last resort option to be deployed only as needed. The approach is largely around communication and education for the public to better understand that wearing face coverings is the right thing to do.

Shared enforcement responsibilities are between Community Peace Officers, the Calgary Police Service, Livery Inspectors and Calgary Transit Peace Officers.

Employers, operators or proprietors are not expected to enforce this bylaw. The bylaw was drafted to minimize the chance of conflict and provide a safe environment for all.

Those exempt will not be required to provide proof of exemption.

CEMA has recently received an additional 1.5 Million face covering from the Province of Alberta and are currently working with agency members to determine the best method to have the face coverings distributed to the community.

Places of worship would be included in the bylaw definition of a public premise, as they are enclosed buildings that members of the public have access to. Those attending places of worship are permitted to temporarily remove their face covering to provide or receive service, such as to receive communion.

However, if a place of worshop closes its doors to the public for a private event (for example a wedding), it is not a public premises during the event and therefore attendants will not have to wear face coverings.

A meeting such as a condo board meeting would not be included in the definition of a public premises, as members of the public would not have access, therefore participants would not be required under the bylaw to wear face coverings.

Vehicles

Passengers of Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) and taxis require a face covering as both are defined under the bylaw as a public vehicle.

In the bylaw, a ‘public vehicle’ includes a bus, LRT vehicle, taxi and any vehicle that is used to transport members of the public for a fee.

Drivers that are separated from their passengers by an installed screen, shield or other barrier are not required to wear face coverings.

Gyms/ Sports Centres/ Fitness Studios

People actively engaging in athletic or fitness activities in gyms, sports centres and fitness studios would be exempt from the bylaw. However, if the facility is accessible to the public, people who are not engaging in such activities would have to wear a face covering.

Schools & Daycares

People will be expected to wear a face covering in any part of an enclosed space to which the public can readily access.

The bylaw excludes premises for which there is an enrollment or membership requirement such as schools and daycares.

Because daycares and schools are not available to members of the public, it would be considered private and therefore the bylaw would not apply.

The bylaw

The Province of Alberta would be in the best position to mandate the wearing of face coverings or masks by the general public. However, the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Alberta has indicated that mandatory face coverings could be a policy implemented by local governments based on local circumstances.

Since the province has not yet enacted a mandate, Council has the authority through the Municipal Government Act to enact bylaws with respect to safety, health and welfare of people and the protection of people and property along with enacting bylaws related to businesses.

The City continues to education Calgarians on the three critical measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Even with continued education and strong recommendation from all orders of government, only 35 per cent of Calgarians report ‘always’ wearing face coverings in public or confined spaces. This is lower than the desired critical mass of 80 percent of citizen that are regularly wearing face coverings that is required to contain community spread.

74 per cent of Calgarians either strongly or somewhat support making face masks/coverings mandatory. The approach is intended to keep businesses open and to help mitigate a potential resurgence.

Right now is the ideal time to take action, as the Government of Alberta is reporting increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases across the province daily.

The wearing of face coverings is an additional measure that can be taken to help mitigate a potential resurgence as being experienced in other parts of the world.

The World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Public Health Agency of Canada and Alberta Health all indicate that the highest risk activities are those that take place indoors and in spaces where people spend extended periods of time in close proximity with poor air circulation. In a few short months, we will see additional challenges as cooler weather limits our ability to gather and engage in activities outside.

The bylaw mandating the wearing of face coverings will not only restore confidence in the community who don’t feel safe when those around them are not wearing masks, it also serves as a visual reminder that the pandemic continues to remain a health risk.

As mentioned by Dr Bhardwaj on July 20, when we began considering this bylaw it was expected that the summer would be when Calgary would experience lower incidence of COVID transmission, with people on vacation and outdoors. However, with the latest numbers coming in over the course of the past week and a half, The City of Calgary supports the direction from Dr. Bhardwaj and Chief Sampson to implement this bylaw as soon as possible.

A series of indicators and measures need to be considered. As a local jurisdiction, we will look at local circumstances. If the bylaw is passed, we can monitor and report back at the 2020 September 14 Combined Council Meeting with respect to the effectiveness of the proposed bylaw and with any recommended amendments or a repeal.

Waterloo: After only four days of the regional bylaw in effect, Waterloo have not been called on to do any enforcement. The bylaw is purely an educational tool. Waterloo has observed a significant increase in people entering stores and public buildings wearing a mask. Overall, there has not been any significant resistance. A few people have made public comments, but the bylaw is meeting its objective of increasing mask use inside buildings.

Toronto: Notes a significant increase in mask use and has observed a majority of residents now wearing masks. Since the bylaw has been enacted, Toronto has received 300 complaints. To date, no fines have been issued.

Do you need signage for your business or public vehicle? (Signs are required for business entrances)

If you would like to download the printable sign above to display in your business or vehicle, please use the button to the right.

Do you own or operate a business? This guide will help clarify how your business will be affected by the new bylaw.

To view additional information for businesses and to download signage in other available languages, please visit: 

https://www.calgary.ca/csps/cema/covid19/support/business/face-covering-requirements.html

As always, if you have additional questions regarding the bylaw, please call 311. 

 

Free face coverings and mask locations

The City of Calgary will be partnering with the Government of Alberta to distribute a number of free face coverings to help limit the spread of COVID-19.

Starting August 1st, you can get a free package of 10 face coverings at the following locations, while supplies last. Masks will also be available at select stations and bus terminals between 6:30 and 9:30 a.m. each morning.

7556 Falconridge Blvd. N.E. – directions

  • Mon. – Fri. 11:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Sat. 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.

2116 27th Ave. N.E. – directions

  • Mon. – Fri. 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

11300 Rocky Ridge Rd. N.W. – directions

  • Mon. – Fri. 5:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Sat. & Sun. 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.

8100 John Laurie Blvd. N.W. – directions

  • Mon. – Fri. 6:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Sat. & Sun. 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.

West Parking Lot McMahon Stadium 
1833 Crowchild Trail N.W. – directions

  • Mon. – Fri. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. from Aug. 4 – 31

2201 Portland St. S.E. – directions

  • Mon. – Fri. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

4995 Market St. S.E. – directions

  • Mon. – Fri. 5:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Sat. & Sun. 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.

108 Quarry Park Rd. S.E. – directions

  • Mon. – Fri. 6:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Sat. & Sun. 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.

333 Shawville Blvd. S.E. – directions

  • Mon. – Fri. 6:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Sat. & Sun. 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.

101 3 St. S.W. – directions

  • Mon. – Fri. 5:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Please note the above information has been replicated from the City of Calgary website (mostly to save you another click). If you would like to see The City’s Covid-19 information in it’s entirety, we encourage you to visit their page on Covid-19.

And please, for the love of all that is good and right and in the world, PLEASE dispose of your masks and gloves properly in a trash bin!

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