Canadian municipalities refuse to repeal their mask-wearing ordinances

More and more provinces in Canada are removing covid restrictions. Thus, following Nova Scotia and Quebec, the Alberta government has repealed almost all COVID-19-related restrictive measures, including mask-wearing in most places, capacity restrictions, liquor sales and home-based work. In Calgary, one of the cities in the province, the Face Covering Act ended at the same time.

Not all cities, however, follow province-wide policies. In Edmonton, for example, the mask regime is still in effect. All persons in the city two years of age and older must continue to wear masks in public spaces. The city council does not plan to hold a special meeting on the need to abolish the mask regime until March 8.

This creates a situation in which one province begins to resemble a "patchwork quilt" of individual local politicians. According to Alberta Prime Minister Jason Kenney, this could legitimately lead to division, confusion, and difficulties not justified in terms of public health.

As part of the solution, the Alberta government has announced its intention to introduce amendments to the Municipal Government Act into the Legislature as soon as possible. As a result, municipalities will lose the ability to impose their own public health restrictions.

"What Alberta residents don't deserve right now is uncertainty and confusion," Kenney said at a press conference this past Tuesday.

He also added that the likelihood of municipalities making decisions based on politics rather than science was of great concern to him.

The actions of the Alberta government indicate a complete reversal of the provincial position. Whereas at the beginning of the pandemic, Kenney stated that decisions were best made locally because a single provincial approach simply didn't make sense, the viewpoint of the provincial official has now become diametrically opposed. Commenting on this trend, Kenney noted that this rule made sense at the height of the coronavirus, but not now that the government has every reason to believe Alberta is emerging from the pandemic.

Edmonton Mayor Amarjit Sohi condemned the government's move, calling it "an unacceptable overreach that could not only limit the city's ability to respond to future waves of COVID-19, but also the ability of any municipality to manage its own charters, from development plans to smoking laws."

Sohi noted that Edmonton's masked regime is motivated only by a desire to protect the well-being of local residents, not by any desire to expose itself or earn additional political points. Sohi also added that the city is considering legal action.

Alberta municipalities president and St. Albert mayor Cathy Heron said the government's approach was "harsh and unnecessary," the plan was developed without consultation, and amending the law could set a dangerous precedent.