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By Shaun Penner

Bylaw C-1426

Mandatory mask Bylaw decision postponed to Sept. 8 meeting

Aug 31, 2020 | 3:33 PM

Grande Prairie City Council has pushed a decision on whether or not to pass a Temporary Mandatory Face Covering (Mask) Bylaw to its next scheduled meeting on September 8.

After nearly four hours of debate on Bylaw C-1426 at a Council Committee of the Whole meeting Monday, it was passed to go forward to a special City Council meeting immediately following with three different amendments made to the draft Bylaw. Those amendments include:

• Increasing the threshold to trigger the Bylaw to come into effect if/when a cumulative 100 active cases of COVID-19 is reached between the City and County of Grande Prairie, or when Alberta Health puts either area under an “enhanced” status on its provincial relaunch list
• Clearly defining that the Bylaw make it mandatory, when that trigger point is hit, to wear a face covering at any indoor, enclosed or substantially enclosed public spaces and public vehicles
• For the Bylaw to be reviewed by Council by January of 2021.

However, a motion was passed following first reading of the Bylaw to push second and potentially third reading to the September 8 meeting.

“This was probably the most likely outcome, that the Bylaw wouldn’t be completed (Monday),” said Mayor Given, following a near five hours total of Bylaw deliberations.

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Council members proposed several amendments during the committee meeting that they would like to see become a part of the Bylaw, many of which were to amend the threshold for the Bylaw to be enacted into law. Some council members wished to see the threshold lowered, while others wished to see it it much higher.

Ultimately, Given feels the amendment that was finally reached on the increased threshold for implementing the Bylaw was somewhat of a middle ground.

“That would bring forward a Bylaw, but to ensure that the mandate is not triggered until such time as there was a significant enough number of cases in the community, that would seem to warrant that mandate.”

Exemptions for residents to not have to wear a mask under the Bylaw, should it pass at the September 8 meeting, would apply to:

• Children under 2 years of age, or a child under the age of 5 who refuses to wear a face covering and cannot be persuaded to do so
• Those who are unable to wear a face covering due to a medical or physical concern or limitation, or are protected under the Alberta Human Rights Act
• Those who are unable to place, use or remove a mask safely without assistance
• Those who are eating or drinking at a public place that offers food or beverage services, while seated in designated areas
• Those engaging in an athletic or fitness activity, including but not limited to running, water activities or physical exercise
• Those who are a designated care giver for or accompanying a person with a disability where wearing a mask would hinder the accommodation of the person’s disability
• Those engaging in services that require the temporary removal of a face covering in order to provide or receive a service, those who are sleeping or in bed at a homeless shelter.

Schools and other educational facilities are also exempt from this Bylaw, as well as hospitals and health care facilities. Also excluded are any portion of a public place of a building that is accessible only to employees and that are not open to the general public include, without limitation, private offices, board rooms, washrooms and facilities, as well as public vehicle operators, provided that physical barriers or physical distancing practices are implemented between any person not required.

Under the Bylaw as it stands, businesses will be required to prominently advertise the mandate, when in effect, in a spot where people could easily see it on their way into the establishment. A fine of $200 could be levied under the Bylaw to businesses that do not comply.

Any individual found in contravention of the order would be fined up to $100, under the Bylaw (as it stands).

Given points out that moving this forward to next week’s meeting gives the public more time to understand the changes that were made to the Bylaw, as it is a topic that has been somewhat polarizing amongst the community.

READ MORE: Protesters gather to make voice heard on mandatory mask use in Grande Prairie

That sentiment was shown in the number of emails and phone calls council has received, as well as recent protests which have spoken out against mandatory masking. Given thinks though that those who are speaking out are not speaking for the whole of the community.

“Most often, people who are satisfied with the direction council is taking, don’t often organize,” said Given. “Where, people who are dissatisfied with the direction something is going, are more often likely to speak out.”

“I completely support that right for people to make their voices heard, but I just don’t necessarily think its a representative sample of community sentiment.”

Given adds that this Bylaw is based on recommendations from public health officials, and that one of council’s biggest responsibilities in to enact Bylaws that are for the good of the community, whether there is overwhelming support for it or not.

“This seems to me to be very in-line with that mandate that we’re given by the provincial government to do what we can, with the expert advice that we can access, to protect the safety of our residents.”

“I appreciate that there are a range of different views about health issues, about personal liberty issues. In that complex environment, I am going to do what I would do any other topic, and that is to seek advice of trained experts in the field, and use that advice as a foundation for the positions that I support.”

For the Bylaw to become a reality, it must now pass second and third reading at the September 8 Council meeting.