Wearing a face covering or face mask in indoor public spaces is required under a City By-law until January 20, 2021. The Government of Ontario has also made face coverings mandatory in most public establishments and in workplaces. You must also wear a face covering or face mask while using MiWay Transit.
Your face covering or face mask should:
- Be easy to breathe through
- Be at least two layers of tightly woven cotton or linen
- Cover the nose, mouth and chin without gaping
- Fit securely to the head with ties or ear loops
- Maintain its shape after washing and drying
Transparent masks are allowed if they cover your mouth and nose with no gaps. Wearing a face covering is part of the core four actions supported by Peel Public Health to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
- Common areas of apartments, condominiums, hotels and short-term accommodations such as lobbies, elevators and parking areas
- Buildings operated by a municipality
- Businesses that primarily sell food including supermarkets, grocery stores, bakeries and convenience stores
- Businesses providing personal care services
- Churches, mosques and other places of worship: Provincial law requires that masks remain on in places of worship
- Libraries and other similar facilities
- Meeting or rental event spaces
- Other businesses, organizations and places that are permitted to operate under Provincial Regulations
- Premises used for an open house, presentation centre, or other facility for real estate purposes
- Retail stores where goods and services are sold to customers
- When waiting in line/or waiting outside a retail store or a food establishment either to order or pick up food
- Shopping malls or similar structures that contain multiple places of business
- Transit terminals and MiWay buses
- Taxis and private vehicles for hire such as Uber and Lyft
- You must create a face covering policy to ensure that everyone entering and visiting your business wears a face covering (with some exceptions)
- You must provide copy of your policy for inspection by an Enforcement Officer upon request
- You must prominently post and display signage advising of the By-law and requirements.
- Business owners and operators are not required to provide face coverings to customers under the by-law
Printable resources
Face coverings are not required for:
- Children two years of age or younger
- Individuals who have trouble breathing or are otherwise unable to wear a face covering for medical reasons or reason of disability, including those who are unable to remove face coverings without assistance
- Employees within an area designated for them and not for public access
- Individuals receiving services involving the face that require the removal of a face covering, not including personal care services, provided the services are permitted to operate according to Provincial Regulations and provided a two-metre/six feet distance is maintained from all other people other than the person providing the service
- Police, fire or paramedics while responding to an emergency call
- Individuals while testifying, examining or making submissions at a court, tribunal, arbitration or other quasi-judicial proceeding.
You do not have to provide proof that an exemption applies to you.
These businesses are exempt from this by-law:
- Hospitals and portions of buildings used by regulated health professionals
- Buildings or services operated by the Government of Ontario or the Government of Canada
- Portions of community centres, arenas or other buildings that are being used to provide day camps for children or for training amateur or professional athletes
- Portions of community centres, arenas or other buildings operated by a municipality used for the purpose of providing community services or programs for which registration is required
- School transportation vehicles
- Under the City’s bylaw, operators of businesses will be responsible for ensuring those entering their premises comply with the by-law requirements
- Under the by-law, individuals are required to wear a face covering before entering and while inside an indoor public space
- The City will be taking the approach of education and awareness first, followed by enforcement
- Enforcement of the by-law will be the responsibility of the City’s By-law Enforcement Officers (non-City property), Corporate Security Officers (City facilities and buildings) and Transit Enforcement Officers (City transit terminals and MiWay buses).