City adopts new masking policies for public buildings, OC Transpo

OTTAWA – On Wednesday, March 9, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, announced the province is removing its mandatory mask requirement for many indoor settings starting Monday, March 21.

“This next step in reopening is possible because the peak of the Omicron wave has passed and because of Ontario’s high vaccination rate,” city staff released in a statement today (March 18).

The following city settings will no longer require the public to wear masks as of Monday, March 21:

• Indoor sports and recreational facilities
• Theatres, concert venues, meeting and event spaces
• Public libraries
• City art galleries
• Client Service Centres and other counter services

“Residents who prefer wearing masks at these facilities are welcome to do so,” staff said. “We must all continue to show kindness and compassion to one another and respect individual tolerance for risk when together in public settings.”

As determined by the Province of Ontario, masks continue to be required on OC Transpo buses and trains and in stations, and on Para Transpo minibuses and taxis.

Mask wearing will also continue to be required for all individuals in the city’s high-risk and congregate settings. This includes:

• Carleton Lodge, Centre d’accueil Champlain, Garry J. Armstrong, and Peter D. Clark long-term care homes
• Physical distancing and respite centres
• Ottawa Public Health’s (OPH) vaccination clinics, dental clinics, sexual health clinics and supervised consumptions services.

There are several types of effective masks. The key is to ensure they fit you properly. However, long-term care homes require a medical-type mask, which they provide to staff and visitors.

OPH continues to recommend mask use for people at risk of severe illness and for all indoors when physical distancing is difficult. 

For more information on learning to live with COVID-19, visit Ottawa Public Health’s new Reducing the risks from COVID-19 webpage.

Stay up to date on the latest transit information by visiting OC Transpo’s Alerts webpage or following OC Transpo’s Twitter accounts.