Waterloo regional council unanimously approves mandatory mask bylaws

Region of Waterloo council voted unanimously Monday night to make face masks mandatory on Grand River Transit and in most indoor public spaces.

The two bylaws are set to take effect July 13 and will last until September 30 this year, unless extended by council.

Provisions are in place to exempt certain groups, such as young children and people with disabilities or medical conditions, from wearing masks.

Businesses are required to post signage about the bylaws but will not be required to enforce them.

Some of the indoor spaces that will require masks include:

• Stores.
• Shopping malls.
• Laundromats.
• Hotels.
• Motels.
• Municipal buildings.
• Places of worship.

The bylaws do not cover the following public spaces:

• Federal or provincial buildings.
• Colleges, universities or schools.
• Hospitals or health facilities.
• Employee-only areas of businesses and other buildings.

More than 700 people tuned into a live stream of the meeting Monday night. Delegations from the public stretched on for three and a half hours, with strong opinions on both sides of the discussion.

Similar mask policies are already in place in municipalities across Ontario, including Kingston, Toronto and Windsor.