Tory hints at bylaw after urging apartments, condos to adopt mask policy

The City of Toronto is asking apartment and condo buildings to adopt a mask policy for common areas to try and contain the spread of COVID-19.

Mayor John Tory said the recommendation to wear a face covering includes residents, guests, property management and maintenance workers who enter or remain in the common areas of an apartment or condo such as lobbies, laundry rooms and elevators.

There is already a bylaw requiring people to wear a face covering in all indoor public spaces in the city as well as on the TTC.

Tory said while the legislative options are somewhat limited when it comes to private property, he will not hesitate to push forward with some sort measure to make face coverings mandatory in these spaces.

“Given the fact that we showed no hesitation after careful consideration and advice from public health to put a bylaw in place that deals with wearing face coverings on transit and to put a bylaw in place that deals with face coverings in public indoor spaces, that if we don’t we don’t see the kind of voluntary cooperation when it comes to private property …we’d have no hesitation to move forward and do whatever we could by way of a bylaw if that seems to be necessary,” said Tory.

Tory noted that the wearing of a face covering is an inexpensive, acceptable and simple initiative as opposed to a bylaw that would force people to comply.

“So we’ll see how they respond to the request we’ve made. If we don’t get adequate cooperation then we have the opportunity to look at a bylaw in this area as well.”

Watch: Tory talks Phase 3, mandatory masks in condos, and the city’s COVID-19 deficit