STAY CONNECTED: Have the stories that matter most delivered every night to your email inbox. Subscribe to our daily local news wrap.
Photo Credit: dreamstime.com
By Shane Clausing
COVID-19

Face covering bylaw voted down by County of Grande Prairie Council

Sep 14, 2020 | 6:28 PM

County of Grande Prairie Council voted down a potential mandatory face-covering bylaw at Monday’s meeting.

Instead of having a bylaw like the City of Grande Prairie implemented, the County decided to maintain the status quo with face coverings or masks and is keeping them voluntary.

The bylaw that was discussed was similar to the City’s, which would allow the County to activate the requirement for mandatory use of face coverings when the relaunch status changed from “Open” to “Watch” and would be deactivated 14 days after the status switched from “Watch” to “Open”.

Reeve Leanne Beaupre spoke about how Council came to the final decision.

“Many council members felt that the situation in the County of Grande Prairie is quite a bit different than in the city, especially around density and population and public spaces. We don’t have public transit, things that may be more affected by a mandatory mask bylaw.”

“While the County supports the recommendations of Alberta Health, Council has determined that wearing masks should be left to the decision of individual businesses and members of the community.”

“For this reason, Council does support the voluntary wearing of masks, particularly in public spaces where it may be difficult to maintain a distance of two metres.”

Beaupre added that many businesses in the region have already taken the step to make face coverings or masks mandatory inside their facilities. She says they have the full support of Council regarding their decision and hopes the public will listen and respect those business owners.

“We encourage (all visitors) in our area to respect the wishes of those whether it’s masks or no masks.”

The County is encouraging residents to continue to practice proper hygiene, stay home if you feel sick and continue to practice social distancing.

by Shane Clausing