No changes to Canada's mask mandate on planes, trains as US ends policy

While the US has moved to drop its national mask mandate on planes and other public transportation, Canada has no plans to change its masking policy.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra told reporters at an event in Calgary on Tuesday that he wouldn’t comment on a US court’s rule against the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) mandatory mask rules for travellers.

However, he did clarify that the mask mandate on planes and trains remains in place in Canada.

“We will continue to follow the advice of our public health experts, and the regulation continues to require passengers to wear masks,” said Alghabra.

🔴LIVE: We are announcing in Calgary how #Budget2022 will make life more affordable for seniors and all Canadians.https://t.co/ZAuSGvbZbY

— Omar Alghabra (@OmarAlghabra) April 19, 2022

He added that the government is constantly reassessing COVID public health measures.

“For now, there is no change in our regulation,” he said. “We constantly consult our experts, and whenever the advice that we receive changes as circumstances change, we will change our regulation. But for now, it is what it is.”

On Monday, a federal judge in Florida ruled that the CDC overstepped its authority in requiring masks for public transportation, reported Insider.

The decision quickly saw US airlines lifting mask mandates. Carriers like Delta, Alaska, and United Airlines have either fully scrapped or made masks optional, according to NPR.

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The ruling has also affected other forms of public transportation. Lyft and Uber drivers in the US no longer have to wear masks.

Uber told Daily Hive that it will be lifting its mask mandate in Canada on Friday.

This comes after provinces like BC and Ontario ended COVID-19 public health measures including mask mandates and vaccine passports for indoor activities.