If you do not follow Calgary’s face-covering bylaw, you can end up with a $100 ticket with higher penalties for repeat offenses.
The city council approved changes to the mandatory mask rules, doubling the fine for failing to wear a face mask where it is required. The city officials will report back on possibly changing or repealing the bylaw a year from now unless medical advice deems it safe to lift the mandate earlier.
The temporary bylaw in Calgary came into effect in August when the province was recommending masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 but resisting laying down official rules. The Alberta government has now rolled out provincewide mask rules, but Calgary has mandated face coverings on public transit and publicly accessible indoor spaces for months.
In summer, the council initially considered $100 fines for people violating the city mask rules but dropped the fine to $50 as part of pursuing education instead of enforcement.
But now, with a regular crowd of protestors gathering in violation of public-health rules each weekend and businesses reporting harassment from people deliberately not wearing masks, the council wanted the rules to come with more teeth. Alberta currently has the highest active COVID-19 case count in the country, including more than 7,000 in the Alberta Health Services Calgary zone.
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Learn more about face masks and how to stay safe by enrolling in a mask fitting test which is a requirement for many workspaces and schools or the available masks for sale by visiting our face mask sale page.
Our courses maintain social distancing measures with reduced class sizes to maintain the minimum 2 meters apart along with the mandatory use of face masks and regular temperature checks. The venue of the courses undergo regular, enhanced cleaning and disinfection routines.
For more information about face masks, check out these sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51205344
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449