Peel and Durham regions are the next parts of the Greater Toronto Area to implement mandatory masks and face coverings in all indoor public spaces or indoor commercial establishments to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
The new bylaw on wearing masks officially came into effect on Friday, July 10.
Areas where masks will be mandatory include retail stores, grocery stores, convenience stores, places of worship, businesses providing personal care services, libraries, museums, indoor event spaces and recreational facilities, among others.
Exceptions to mask-wearing include those with medical conditions, those who cannot remove a mask without assistance and children under the age of 2.
In a press conference last week, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie said there will be no onus on businesses to provide their customers with a mask, but businesses will have the right to refuse customers if they do not wear a mask.
“We don’t want to enforce a bylaw, but we will if necessary. It is our hope that people will do the right thing for their families, for their friends and for their neighbours,” Crombie said.
Durham’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Robert Kyle, said it’s a pre-emptive step that will put the region in a better position in case there is a second wave of the virus.
“This is another source of protection and a cautionary measure that our numbers stay low, the outbreaks are minimized, and it’s an additional measure,” Kyle said.
In Toronto, the mask bylaw has been in effect since Tuesday.
— With files from Global News’ Frazer Snowdon