Wearing a face mask could be compulsory in indoor spaces in Timmins as early as the middle of this month.
Kingston, Toronto, Peel Region and other Ontario municipalities already have bylaws in place.
But Timmins Mayor George Pirie points out that they have a higher incidence of COVID-19.
“We’re doing very, very well at the moment,” he comments.
Pirie has instructed the clerk’s office to prepare a report for the July 14th council meeting, when a bylaw could be passed.
“That will also involve the input of Dr. (Lianne) Catton (medical officer of health) and the health unit,” he noted as criteria. “I think it’s an important discussion that we need to have in our community at this time, and obviously, council, fully engage the citizens in this conversation over the next two weeks.”
Pirie foresees the biggest issue with a mask bylaw being enforcement. City Hall only has five bylaw officers, so he says for them to enforce it would be impossible.
“Like every other thing that we’ve done in this crisis, the idea that you get buy-in from the community is tremendously important. And the community has bought in.”