Starting Wednesday, masks will be mandatory for all people who enter Winnipeg’s airport.
The Winnipeg Airport Authority said Monday that all passengers, visitors and employees at the airport must wear a mask when they enter the terminal.
“This added safety measure is being implemented in all public areas of the airport terminal to further prioritize safety and protect the community,” the WAA said in a statement.
The WAA’s Vice President Tyler MacAfee called the change “inevitable.”
“Based on the size of the terminal and the number of passengers, we were able to put this off for a little while,” said MacAfee.
Ultimately, the MacAfee said the main reason for the switch was an increase in foot traffic.
“We’ve reached a stage now where we recognized that with a slight increase of passengers, we’re seeing more and more people congregating in certain areas.
“So we’ve made the decision that now is the time to move forward with this.”
Previously, visitors and passengers were told they must wear a mask if they couldn’t maintain safe social distancing measures.
“The traveller when they arrive at the airport, should have a mask with them already, so the change for them will just be when to put it on … when they enter the building,” said McAfee.