Majority of people in Edmonton heeding mask rule, city says

It's been nearly a week since Edmonton passed a face covering bylaw andthe city says the majority of people are following the new rule, with a few exceptions.

Between Saturday to midday Thursday, peace officers found shoppers and store patrons wore appropriate masks80 per cent of the time,city bylaw spokesperson, Chrystal Coleman, said in an email.

During thattime period,peace officers patrolled 275 areas, Coleman said.

Of the 4,500 people they observed, about 17 per cent weren't wearing a face covering.

They handed out more than 1,200 masks and had 380 "educational interactions" with people, Coleman told CBC News.

• Masks mandatory in all Edmonton indoor public spaces starting Aug. 1
• Mask up: What you need to know about masks in Edmonton

The bylawcame into force on Saturday and applies to all indoor public spaces in Edmonton.

Between Aug. 1 and Aug. 5, the cityreported even higher compliance at shopping centres and grocery stores, with bylaw officers noting about 3 per cent people went unmasked.

On public transit,inspectors are finding 80 to 100 per cent of riders are following the rule.

However, the numbers aroundvehicles for hire such as taxis and Uber are still scant.

The city said officers checked 335 vehicles but the city providedno information on whether drivers and passengers were wearing face coverings, even though the vehicles are subject to the bylaw.

Coleman said peace officers handed out nine masks in relation to vehicle-for-hire services.

The focus is still on education and raising awareness instead of handing out warnings or $100 fines under the bylaw, Coleman said.

The city is also asking the public and businesses to be tolerant of patrons who may be exempt from the bylaw.

The exemption appliesto anyone with a medical or physical concern that prevents them from wearing a face covering. Caregivers who can't provide proper care witha maskare also exempt.

At a bar or restaurant, patrons who are eating or drinking in a designated seating area can be unmasked. But once they leave their seats, the bylaw applies.

The bylaw doesn't apply to places under provincial jurisdiction, such as child care facilities, hospitals and schools.