Lots of municipalities, counties and Regional Health Authorities are making it a requirement for anyone entering a business, access resources or take public transit. How does one keep up with it, especially if you have to cross into different areas for work or necessities?
As a resource-focused blog, I feel it my responsibility to pass on this information as it pertains to how business and organizations operate. Here is a list of everywhere in Ontario that requires you to wear a face covering if you can (with list of affected municipalities or potentially affected municipalities). As more regions and municipalities make these announcements (i.e. HPEPH and HKPR both did as I was writing this), I will update the list!
- Durham Region: https://www.durham.ca/en/health-and-wellness/resources/Documents/Novel-Coronavirus/COVID-19-MOH-Letter-July062020.pdf
- Ajax, Brock, Clarington, Oshawa, Pickering, Scugog, Uxbridge, and Whitby.
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit: https://eohu.ca/en/article/2020-07-06
- United Counties of Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry, United Counties of Prescott-Russell and the City of Cornwall.
- Grey Bruce Health Unit: https://www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca/About-Us/MOH-Class-Orders
- Bruce County, Grey County.
- Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit: https://www.hkpr.on.ca/news_items/7768/
- City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Northumberland County.
- Halton Hills: https://www.theifp.ca/news-story/10069980-halton-hills-council-votes-in-favour-of-making-masks-mandatory-in-enclosed-public-spaces/
- Only the town of Halton Hills (incl. Acton, Esquesing and Georgetown), not all of Halton Region at this time.
- Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: https://hpepublichealth.ca/face-coverings-required-at-local-businesses-beginning-july-10/
- Hastings County, Prince Edward County.
- Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: https://www.kflaph.ca/en/healthy-living/face-covering-frequently-asked-questions-faq.aspx
- City of Kingston, Frontenac County, Lennox & Addington County.
- Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit: https://healthunit.org/health-information/covid-19/face-coverings-masks/
- Lanark County, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.
- Middlesex-London Health Unit: https://www.healthunit.com/news/section-22-orders-issued
- Required in Personal Care Service Establishments (hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, aesthetic services, tattoo parlours, piercing services, spas, and tanning salons), Buses, Taxis and Ride Shares in the City of London and Middlesex County.
- Northwestern Health Unit: https://www.nwhu.on.ca/covid19/Pages/masks.aspx
- Atikokan, Dryden, Ear Falls, Emo, Fort Frances, Ignace, Kenora, Machin, Pickle Lake, Rainy River, Red Lake, Sioux Lookout, Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls.
- Ottawa Public Health: https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/masks.aspx
- City of Ottawa.
- Peel Region: https://peelregion.ca/news/archiveitem.asp?year=2020&month=5&day=30&file=2020530.xml
- City of Brampton, City of Mississauga, Town of Caledon.
- Public Health Sudbury & Districts: https://www.phsd.ca/news/public-service-announcement-face-coverings-required-in-sudbury-and-districts-businesses-and-public-transit-starting-wednesday
- Greater Sudbury, Sudbury District, Manitoulin District.
- Renfrew County & District Health Unit: https://www.rcdhu.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Revised_1220PM_2020_July_06_Media-Release_MakingMasksMandatory.pdf
- City of Pembroke, Renfrew County, Township of South Algonquin and most of Algonquin Provincial Park.
- Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit Region: http://www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/docs/default-source/COVID-/20200707-face-covering-indoor-spaces-faq-public.pdf?sfvrsn=2
- City of Barrie, City of Orillia, District of Muskoka, Simcoe County.
- Southwestern Public Health: https://www.swpublichealth.ca/facecoverings
- City of St. Thomas, Elgin County, Oxford County.
- St. Catherines: https://globalnews.ca/news/7142325/coronavirus-st-catharines-masks-bylaw/
- City of St. Catherines.
- Toronto Public Health: https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/97f8-COVID-19-Guidance-for-Use-of-Face-Masks-and-Coverings-by-Public.pdf
- City of Toronto (now includes common areas of condos and apartment buildings).
- Waterloo Region: https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=4c20f574-0cb8-417f-ae31-f302d1d05ad3
- Cambridge, Kitchener, North Dumfries, Waterloo, Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich.
- Wellington, Dufferin, Guelph Health Unit: https://www.wdgpublichealth.ca/your-health/covid-19-information-public/face-coverings-class-order-and-faqs
- City of Guelph, Dufferin County, Wellington County.
- Windsor-Essex County Health Unit: https://www.wechu.org/sites/default/files/edit-resource/em-class-action-order-face-coverings-wec/class-action-order-face-coverings-wec-june-2020.pdf?mc_cid=99ac203490&mc_eid=3ade2243e7
- City of Windsor, Essex County.
- York Region: https://www.york.ca/wps/portal/yorkhome/health/yr/covid-19/mandatoryuseofnon-medicalfacemasksandcoverings/mandatoryuseofnon-medicalfacemasksandcoverings
- City of Markham, City of Richmond Hill, Vaughan, King Township, Town of Aurora, Town of East Gwillimbury, Town of Georgina, Town of Newmarket, Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville.
- All transit operations across Ontario seem to require facial coverings.
Businesses and organizations in areas outside of those listed above may also require or strongly recommend the use of facial coverings in order to be granted access, and in places where physical distancing indoors is difficult. In all honesty, just come prepared with something to protect yourself and others- a scarf, a mask, a face shield, etc.. You don’t know who you’re around, if you are asymptomatic, if they are, or if they are/know someone who is elderly or immunocompromised.
Information from Ontario Public Health regarding the wearing of face coverings can be found here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/face-coverings-and-face-masks