B.C. has no provincewide mandate for mask-wearing, but many businesses and organizations have policies of their own.
Here is a list of prominent locations and organizations that have made masks mandatory. As the coronavirus pandemic develops and changes in British Columbia, it led to changes to the policies on face coverings. As a result, this list is likely to change over time and may not be exhaustive.
In most cases, these policies have exemptions for people with certain medical conditions and young children. There may also be exemptions for some workers who are behind Plexiglass barriers or taking other precautions.
The B.C. Centers for Disease Control advises masks can help protect others from catching the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, especially in situations where physical distancing is not possible. Any mask, no matter how good it is at catching droplets or how well it seals, will have minimal effect if it is not used together with other preventive measures, such as frequent hand washing and physical distancing.
Transportation
- BC Transit. Anyone on BC Transit buses must wear a face covering. There are exemptions for certain passengers and employees.
- TransLink. Anyone on a TransLink vehicle must wear a non-medical mask or face covering, with some exemptions. Branded cards are available for people with underlying medical conditions who cannot wear masks.
- BC Ferries. All passengers on vessels and at terminals are required to wear masks. In addition to medical exemptions, passengers in their vehicles are exempt along with passengers eating food while maintaining a physical distance.
- Air travel. Transport Canada states travelers must have a non-medical mask while traveling. The mask must be worn at check-in in the airport, at the boarding gate, while in flight when physical distancing is not possible and when asked to by airline staff.
Retail
- Real Canadian Superstore and No Frills. Masks are mandatory in stores as of August 29.
- T & T Supermarkets. There is a mandatory mask policy in place since May.
- Walmart. Shoppers are asked to wear masks since mid-August.
- Whole Foods Market. Masks are required in its stores since July.
- Ikea. Ikea’s B.C. stores in Richmond and Coquitlam requires customers to wear masks as of August 31.
Health care
- LifeLabs. The largest lab testing company in Canada asks visitors to bring masks when physical distancing is not possible.
- Hospitals, long-term care. Visitors to Fraser Health, Interior Health, and Island Health locations such as long-term care facilities are obligated to wear masks. Visitors to hospitals may have to wear masks in certain situations and at the direction of staff.
Public Institutions
Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. ICBC will provide masks to customers taking road tests and for other situations where physical distancing is not possible. Masks will be worn during road tests.
Education
- K-12 schools. All staff and students in B.C. middle and secondary schools will have to wear masks in areas where physical distancing cannot be maintained.
- Post-secondary schools. Simon Fraser University, UBC, Capilano University, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Double College, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Justice Institute of British Columbia, and Emily Carr University of Art and Design requires masks in at least some situations, usually when physical distancing is not possible.
Recreation
- Whistler Blackcomb. Face coverings will be required in all indoor spaces, including gondolas, chairlifts, dining halls, and even outdoor lift line-ups.
- Science World. Masks are mandatory for all visitors aged six and older.
- Sea to Sky Gondola. As of September 4, visitors need to wear masks in common areas, including lineups, in gondola cabins, and on the suspension bridge. Exemptions exist for people on hiking trails where distances can be maintained and for people eating or drinking while seated at a table.
Restaurants
Starbucks. Starting September 14, all customers in stores will be required to wear face coverings.
For more information about this story, click here.
LEARN MORE
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.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449