Calgary transit union praises extended mask rules
Face coverings still required in vehicles after province lifts restrictions on July 1
The union representing city transit workers is pleased masks will still be required on buses and Ctrains after Alberta lifts its provincewide mask mandate July 1.
The decision will help protect transit workers who are regularly in close contact with members of the public, said Mike Mahar, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 583.
“Given where things are right now, the unknowns and who is vaccinated, who isn't vaccinated — not all our members had the opportunity to get vaccinated early, so they're not fully vaccinated — I much prefer to err on the side of caution,” Mahar told Postmedia on Wednesday.
Alberta's mask mandate will lift on Canada Day, along with nearly all other public health restrictions put in place during the COVID -19 pandemic, as the province moves to Stage 3 of its reopening plan.
But chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced Tuesday that face coverings will continue to be mandatory in acute and continuing-care settings, on public transit, and in taxis or ride-share vehicles indefinitely.
The transit rule is in place because these are closed spaces, and many people do not have a choice whether to use the service, Hinshaw said.
Alberta Health said there are no specific thresholds on when mask use for these settings could become optional, but Hinshaw suggested the move was made to help protect those who have yet to receive their second dose of vaccine.
Mahar said public transportation is one of the few areas where there haven't been restrictions on capacity or distancing. As such, drivers have often reported buses packed to the brim, with passengers standing shoulder to shoulder with one another.
Enforcement of the mandate must be done by experts such as police, Mahar said, adding his union has asked its members not to enforce mask compliance on their own to protect them from potentially heated situations.
“We've had concerns over compliance from Day 1, since there's always been a percentage of society that hasn't worn them or hasn't had them available,” he said.
Calgary Transit declined to comment on the provincial mandate Wednesday, saying there's still uncertainty on several elements of the announcement.
Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said he found the provincial decision on masking on transit “disrespectful,” saying it should be the jurisdiction of cities.
But he said Calgarians need to remember nothing has changed on mask rules at the moment.
“I will remind all citizens that the mask bylaw is still in place. On transit, in retail, everywhere indoor in Calgary, you still have to wear a mask,” Nenshi said Wednesday.
Though Alberta's provincial mask mandate will end July 1 in most settings, the mask bylaw in Calgary will remain in effect until at least July 5, when city council will reassess whether to keep the rules in place for even longer.
The diverging rules have led to tension between provincial and city officials, with Premier Jason Kenney saying Wednesday it's “unfortunate” Calgary is assessing its mask bylaw independent from the province's timeline.
“I don't think it's helpful for different governments to adopt different and conflicting policies. I think that can only lead to confusion in the general public when what we need instead is clarity,” Kenney said.
“The Government of Alberta is following the expert advice of our chief medical officer, instead of following angry voices on Twitter, and I would encourage every municipality to respect the expert advice we have been receiving and not confuse the public but rather maintain consistency.”
Nenshi said he has faith in citizens to be aware of how rules on masking differ across the province.
“I find it insulting to say people will be confused. People aren't dumb. They know what the rules are,” he said. “I think a lot of Calgarians would see that a little bit of prudence makes sense here as no one wants to go back to more lockdowns.”
Hinshaw said Tuesday municipalities are free to assess their own local context when it comes to mask rules, but added her recommendations are based on current vaccine protection data.
Also Wednesday, Alberta reported another 92 COVID-19 cases from about 6,300 tests, a 1.5 per cent positivity rate.
It's the fourth consecutive day with a case count below 100. Before this week, Alberta had not recorded fewer than 100 cases in a single day since early September.
Twenty-four new cases were reported of the Delta variant, first detected in India, which is more transmissible than any previous variant of concern.
Fewer than 200 Albertans are in hospital with COVID-19 for the first time since November, when the second wave of the pandemic was ramping up. There are now 199 Albertans hospitalized with the virus, 56 of whom are in intensive-care units.
Alberta also reported two more deaths from COVID-19: a man in his 40s from the Alberta Health Services North zone, and a man in his 80s from the Calgary zone. The pandemic's toll in the province has reached 2,292.
Given where things are right now, the unknowns and who is vaccinated ... I much prefer to err on the side of caution.