Saskatoon plans to continue mandating masks at city facilities and on buses

Masking at City of Saskatoon facilities and buses will continue to be mandatory, despite coming changes to Saskatchewan’s public health order.

On Tuesday, the province announced it will lift its proof of vaccination policy on Feb. 14 and mandatory masking remain in place until the end of February.

During a special meeting, city councillors discussed how to respond to the changes to the public health order.

In its presentation to council, city administration recommended Saskatoon follow the province and lift its proof of vaccination requirements.

That idea carried with only Ward 8 Coun. Sarina Gersher voting against it.

While masking will continue to be mandated on Saskatoon transit, administration originally suggested against it — to avoid conflict on buses.

“We could say mandatory, but there’s no enforcement,” city manager Jeff Jorgenson said in the meeting, adding that it’s not safe for bus drivers to enforce the masking rules.

“My worry is that once the province lifts the public health order, I think that that puts us in a much more tenuous position. There could be an inherent tension.”

But councillors spoke in favour to keep masking on buses.

Ward 1 Coun. Darren Hill put forward a motion to amend the administration’s recommended motion to include masking on buses.

Hill also suggested administration “report back about resources required to increase enforcement or conflict resolution on transit.”

Both ideas passed unanimously.

No doctors or public health officials were present at the virtual city meeting.

Mike Jordan, the city’s chief government relations officer, referenced the COVID-19 infection data from the province.

Jordan said one person in the Saskatoon area has died from COVID-19 each week, over the past four weeks.

Saskatoon’s masking mandate could change, depending on the COVID-19 situation.

Starting in March, administration will submit a monthly written COVID-19 update to city council about whether or not to continue with masking.