By Chris Brown

Province will lift mandate on July 1

Mayor urges respect for others when masks are no longer required

Jun 23, 2021 | 11:40 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – With the province moving into Stage 3 of its Open For Summer plan and lifting almost all of its public health restrictions as of July 1, masks will no longer be required in Medicine Hat.

At the city council meeting on Monday, Mayor Ted Clugston confirmed that the city will be following the province’s lead and has no plans to reinstate the mask bylaw.

Following the meeting, Clugston urged people to be respectful to one another once masks are not required as some people will still want to wear them.

“There are people who are afraid of this virus for whatever reason. There are people who are fully vaccinated that are still afraid of the virus for whatever reason. So you’re going to have to respect that fear,” he said. “The health-care authorities have been spending 18, 19 months drumming up this fear, it’s going to take a while for it to go away.”

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Council passed the Mandatory Face Coverings bylaw on Dec. 2. Days later a provincial mandate was announced.

When it was passed the city bylaw had a 90-day repeal date attached, with an option to extend. With the provincial mask mandate in effect, the city chose to let the March 4 repeal date stand.

The City of Lethbridge will keep its mandatory mask bylaw in place for the foreseeable future, while Calgary will keep its bylaw in place until at least July 5.

Clugston also said the city is working to fully reopen all city facilities as fast as possible as of July 1.