Edmonton's indoor mask mandate to end on Canada Day

It's official: Edmonton City Council will deactivate its mask bylaw after a motion in support finally passed, the Edmonton Journal reported.

The decision means Edmontonians will not be required to wear a face-covering or mask in indoor public places as of July 1. The 7-6 city council decision approved a bylaw (19783) that amends the previously adopted temporary mask bylaw (19408).

As of Canada Day, masks will no longer be required in retail stores, entertainment venues, restaurants and most other public venues in line with the repeal of the provincial mandate. Face coverings will still be required, however, on the city's transit system and in vehicle-for-hire services, such as taxis or Uber.

Last week, Premier Jason Kenney found the lack of consistency in local reopening plans "unfortunate," citing his government has tried to work closely with municipalities.  Worried about the confusion in the general public created by different plans, he pressed for clarity.

"The province has offered that clarity with a reopening plan that is based on the expert advice of our Chief Medical Officer of Health and her expertise based on a careful analysis of the data here and across the world," said Kenney.

Edmonton is now aligned with Stage 3 of the province's Open For Summer plan, which begins on July 1. The temporary mandatory face-covering bylaw will remain in place. The city claims it will not be effective unless public health conditions deteriorate and Alberta returns to an earlier stage of the relaunch plan or the Chief Medical Officer of Health orders mandating masks in Alberta. The amending bylaw will come into effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 2021. Until then, masks will be required in all indoor public spaces and public vehicles in the City of Edmonton.

"We know that Edmontonians have mixed feelings about the decision, with some eager for all restrictions to be lifted and others concerned that the reopening is happening too soon," said City Manager Andre Corbould. "We presented Council with several options for ending the City's mask bylaw based on best available medical advice." Corbould added that the safety of Edmontonians is the city's primary concern and that amending this bylaw provides the suitable flexibility for responding to "changing COVID-19 conditions."

As part of the province's Stage 3 reopening plan, it will still be mandatory for masks to be worn by Albertans in public vehicles like buses, LRT, taxis and rideshares starting on July 1. This may provide some reassurance to those who want to manage their risk of transmission.

City Hall acknowledged some Edmontonians might be concerned about their safety in the coming weeks but provided assurances that voluntary mask-wearing is a reasonable step that everyone should respect.

Despite the conflicting perspectives on masks, chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said, "People are welcome to continue wearing masks if they choose to do so." She stated that there may be some individuals "who have good reasons for that, especially those with an elevated risk profile."

The failed June 21 vote to deactivate the mask bylaw happened over concerns of low second dose rates and a possible fourth wave led by the Delta variant.

Hinshaw expressed no concern on any known variant that she sees as posing a risk for significant increases in severe outcomes, including hospitalizations.

As of June 27, Edmonton had 195 active COVID-19 cases, 46 hospitalizations and 15 ICU admissions. No deaths were reported.