Masks no longer required for Uber rides in most of Canada as of April 22

Wearing a mask in an Uber will be optional starting this Friday.

Uber Canada tells CityNews that masks will no longer be required for drivers or riders effective April 22.

The company says it still strongly recommends wearing a mask and that drivers will have the option to require riders to wear a face covering.

“In accordance with provincial public health guidelines, masks will no longer be required when using Uber in Canada (except Québec) effective this Friday, April 22,” a spokesperson said.

“However, as per Health Canada’s advice, we still strongly recommend wearing a mask depending on personal risk factors and infection rates in your area.”

Per the current cancellation policies, Uber Canada says that a driver will be able to revoke a trip if the rider declines to wear a mask.

The company adds that many Uber drivers and riders remain comfortable wearing a mask during a trip, and Uber is urging everyone to be considerate.

In mid-March, Uber Canada told CityNews that mask requirements in its rideshare vehicles would correspond to the province’s lifting of mandates in specific settings and eventually be made optional, but not immediately.

Beck Taxi drivers and riders are still required to wear a mask. That Toronto cab company says it’s keeping the public health measure until further notice.

“We know that many, including the most vulnerable, rely on the safety and security of for-hire services like ours and drivers depend on us to make informed decisions when it comes to masking policies,” a Beck Taxi spokesperson told CityNews.

A Beck Taxi cab in Toronto, Ont. Photo courtesy: Google Maps.

“We will continue, as we do know that the inside of a vehicle does not allow six feet of distance between riders and drivers which makes it a high-risk setting, to require masks on everyone inside a Beck vehicle.”

Beck Taxi says the company sees the masking mandate “as a smart health and safety policy and as a policy that hopefully lends itself to keeping our economy open for business.”

On April 11, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health confirmed that government officials had discussed a potential extension of the COVID-19 mask mandate in high-risk settings, including public transit and healthcare, past April 27.

Ontario’s most long-standing measure of protection against COVID-19 was lifted on March 21. As of that date, masks were no longer required to be worn in most indoor public areas, including schools, childcare, and retail settings.

Currently, masks must continue to be worn on public transit and in long-term care homes, shelters, jails and other congregate care facilities.