Tory wants condominiums to make face masks mandatory in common spaces
Mayor John Tory said that he wants condominiums to make face masks mandatory in the buildings’ common spaces to ensure tenant safety.
During a press conference on Monday, Tory said he wrote to the Greater Toronto Apartment Association to make face masks and coverings mandatory in lobbies, laundry rooms, and elevators.
The mayor said that the city bylaw mandating face masks is for public indoor spaces and does not apply to private residential property.
“Tenants want common areas to be as safe as possible and it’s more than possible to put this policy in place. It helps residents protect each other from the spread, especially when so many Torontonians live in rental apartment buildings,” Tory said.
“It comes at no cost and is a contribution to the war on COVID-19.”
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Tory added that in the condominium building he lives in, a policy has been implemented and the building uses city signage to remind tenants.
“People follow these rules because they are good citizens and we are all in this together.”
While Tory noted that many condominiums have already implemented the mask policy, others haven’t, and he continues to hear concerns amongst tenants.
During the press conference Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa noted that while the virus is still fluctuating on a daily basis, the overall numbers are trending downwards.
While Premier Doug Ford announced earlier on Monday that seven more regions could enter Stage 3 on Friday, Toronto was not included in the list.
“If we move to Stage 3 too quickly, we risk losing the progress we’ve worked hard to make,” de Villa said.
“We need to reopen with caution and care, and try our very best to stop virus spread. We have seen there is evidence to a slow and steady reopening. While we must accept some risks, we need informed decisions. You need to balance risk with potential benefits.”
Since Friday, Toronto has reported 107 new cases, with 121 recovered over the last three days.
To date, there are 15,037 total cases, with 13,377 recovered and 1,133 reported deaths.
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