Halton Mayors Decide Against Making Masks Mandatory

By: Laura Steiner/ Editor

The Region of Halton is choosing not to follow other municipalities in imposing a mandatory order on wearing masks to help combat COVID-19. The decision was made in a statement by Regional Chairman Gary Carr and all Halton area mayors.

Provincial, and federal policy have both said wearing a mask was voluntary. But it is helpful in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in a closed in space such as a grocery store or public transit. Toronto and Peel have joined the growing list of municipalities that are making it mandatory to wear masks.

“Throughout the pandemic, the Halton community has done an incredible job flattening the curve by taking actions such as physical distancing, washing your hands regularly and staying at home as much as possible and when you are ill. These voluntary actions have produced the good results we are seeing today – lower daily cases, sustained hospital capacity and the ability to reopen parts of our economy,” the statement said As of this morning the region had 754 confirmed cases, 81 probable for a total of 835. 54 remain currently active, while 756 are recovered/ resolved. Halton has had 25 people die from COVID-19.

Mayors are hoping for voluntary compliance. “Please remember that wearing a face covering or non-medical mask is an additional measure that we can all take now to protect ourselves and others, but does not replace other measures. We all need to continue working together to ensure we don’t lose the significant progress we have made as a community.” The Region of Halton does not recommend masks for children under the age of two, those that have trouble breathing, or those who require aid to remove a mask.

12 Comments

  1. A little early to start patting yourselves on the back! Err on the side of caution and make it mandatory! Not complicated, I am curious tho, who of this decision making body feels they posses a greater knowledge of this health crisis than all the experts combined who have unanimously agreed that wearing a face mask is critical in slowing the spread?

    • You mean the same experts that said closing the border to china was racist but now say its ok to close the US border and provincial borders? Or you mean the same experts that said don’t wear mask? Or the same experts who said protests to lift restrictions were bad and dangerous since it might spread covid, yet BLM protests were good and safe? Or the same experts who decided to keep hospital beds free for the people who need them, by sending covid positive elderly BACK into LT care homes, then didnt bother to even isolate them? Or maybe its the same experts who said millions of global deaths then quietly revised predictions to be in line with the seasonal flu. Anyone, like yourself, who continues to follow the rules and believe this idiocy is A threat to our society. Your incredible stupidity in demanding more draconian, authoritarian action by our government, is literally destroying our entire way of life for future generations.

      • You mean the same doctors that used to say smoking wasn’t bad during pregnancy and then changed their mind when they got new information? Or the same experts that advised we should wear seat belts after not issuing guidance in it? Guidance changes based on the best available info.
        Very simple, the mask is for your fellow Canadian. If you have no regard for the well being of others, get your ass south of the border. This is not a permanent rule, it’s to help get us safely to other side and not have us end up like Florida is right now. Political pandering is disgusting during this pandemic. “We strongly advise voluntary compliance”, what? Follow the global examples that have this under control, one thing in common, masks for everyone indoors!

      • you are a complete asshat, please feel free to get on a plane and head on down to Florida. It appears you have the same brilliant mentality and would fit in much better down there.

  2. We can vote out these useless mayors next election. I will dumb it down for them. If two pantless men are facing each other and one takes a piss, chances are they will both get wet. If one of those men is wearing pants, but the one who doesn’t proceeds to pee, well the man wearing pants will have some protection but still get wet. Now if both men put on pants and one man pees himself, chances are that piss won’t splash the other man. ***make masks mandatory*** it’s a minor inconvenience so that we can get back to feeling comfortable supporting our local businesses. Take it from an avid shopper who before Covid would frequent shops and restaurants a lot. Now the only places that get my money are the ones that enforce employees and patrons to wear masks.

  3. we wear told not to smoke indoors after hundreds of thousand died and again we wear told to buckle up after thousand wear maimed and killed. So it is about time our gutless mayors do something for the safety of each other and make mask compulsory also. We do not want to be the same, as south of our border that the few are allowed to be spreading it around resulting in the death of so many.

  4. If we are doing a great job now. Why wouldn’t we want to continue that with making masks mandatory? Seems counterproductive to say the least.

  5. Seeing too many people in Milton getting overconfident that this is over. It isn’t!
    I wear a mask and the experts say that is to protect those around me. So why aren’t many of those around me showing me the same consideration?

    • Now there’s a good little soldier… <10 deaths a day in the entire country (less than the "normal" expected pneumonia deaths). There were 8500 Virus related (no one dies of COVID 19) deaths in 2018 (Per Heat Canada statistics)… did you hear a word?
      Purely political move to extend the madness… "normal" will not be tolerated until our objectives are met!
      Mr. Global is depending on the followers… well done!

      • Oh, I see only groupspeak is allowed in PM Blackface’s Canada now… how much of his media bribe (with our money) did you get?
        Pathetic tyranny

    • Oh, I see only groupspeak is allowed in PM Blackface’s Canada now… how much of his media bribe (with our money) did you get?
      Pathetic tyranny

  6. It is real simple. I will follow the rule and not go anywhere local. Anything I need to buy will be online only. Sorry local retailers, I would rather do business with you and I would if it I was allowed a choice on masking up. (I generally do) but when I am told I must, I won’t. Yes that makes me obstinant, but I have been called worse.

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