BREAKING: Lethbridge City Council approves face mask bylaw

Aug 25, 2020 | 5:51 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Effective immediately, the use of non-medical face masks or other face coverings are required in indoor public spaces.

Lethbridge City Council passed Bylaw 6239 Monday by a vote of 6-3. Councillors Joe Mauro, Blaine Hyggen, and Ryan Parker were opposed.

The bylaw has three requirements:

A person must wear a face covering at all times while in an indoor, enclosed, or substantially enclosed public place or in a public vehicle
A person accompanying a child or at least two years of age shall ensure that the child wears a face covering while in public places or a public vehicle
A person who owns, occupies, or is in control of an indoor, enclosed, or substantially closed public place shall post signage prominently

There are several exceptions for the mask mandate, some of which include:

People under the age of two
Those who have a medical condition that would impede their ability to use, place, or remove a mask without assistance
People engaged in physical exercise
People providing care for someone with a disability where a face covering would hinder that caregiving or assistance
Parents, guardians, caregivers, or people accompanying a child between two and five years old who refuses to wear a mask and cannot be persuaded to do so

The penalty for violating the face mask bylaw is $100.

The bylaw will be in place until December 31, 2020, but can be extended by council at a later date.

The full document for Bylaw 6239 can be found here.

More details to come.

Face mask covering required signage. (Supplied by City of Lethbridge)

by David Opinko / Connor Gunn