Face coverings required
Face coverings continue to be mandatory in all indoor public places and public vehicles, under the Municipal Face Covering Bylaw. However, the Government of Alberta has also introduced a mandatory province-wide face covering requirement that may be more restrictive than our existing Bylaw. This provincial requirement is in effect until further notice.
For more information, please visit the Government of Alberta's website here.
For public transit, face coverings are mandatory regardless of the number of active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
Certain exemptions will apply and are listed below.
Please check this page often for updates on the implementation of the Face Covering Bylaw (No. 20/024).
| Places where face coverings are required | Examples |
| Public Transit* | Transit busses |
| Public vehicles for hire | Taxis, vehicles for hire |
| Public indoor spaces | Malls, grocery stores, retail businesses, restaurants, gyms, arenas |
| RMWB-owned facilities | Recreation centres, municipal buildings |
Exceptions
Exceptions to the Face Covering Bylaw include:
- Persons under five (5) years of age
- Persons who are unable to place, use, or remove a face covering safely without assistance
- Persons unable to wear a face covering due to a mental or physical limitation, or on the basis of a protected ground under the Alberta Human Rights Act
- Persons who are caregiving for or accompanying a person with a disability where wearing a face covering would hinder that caregiving or assistance
- Persons who have temporarily removed their face covering in a Public Place:
- to provide or receive a service
- while consuming food or drink in a designated seating area
- while engaged in an athletic or fitness activity
Places of religious or worship activity are also an exception to the Bylaw, but such activity is now regulated by the Provincial Chief Medical Officer of Health’s order of Dec. 13. Faith services are limited to 15% of fire code occupancy for in-person attendance and face coverings are also required.
Requirements for businesses
Business operators or owners are required to display signage in public entryways of the business or vehicle. The Municipality has developed these mandated signs, and they can be downloaded here:
| Printable Signage |
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Signage for the Face Covering Bylaw is available in eight different languages. Please select one or more of the following signs to download, print and display at the entrance of your business or public vehicle. |
Businesses are not expected to deny services to visitors, as not everyone is required to wear a face covering.
You and your employees are not expected to enforce the Bylaw, or to have negative interactions with customers. If a customer becomes confrontational, call 911.
Proof is not required if someone claims an exception. Business owners may also sell or provide masks to customers if they choose.
Questions and Answers
| What does the face covering bylaw require? | ||||||||||
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When Alberta Health Services reports 50 or more active cases of COVID-19 in the region, the Bylaw requires a face covering to be worn in all indoor public places and public vehicles. These provisions will stay in effect for a minimum of 30 days and will remain in place until active cases are below 50 after the minimum 30 days. For public transit, the Bylaw requires everyone to wear a face covering regardless of the number of active cases in the region. Remember, face coverings should complement – not replace – other prevention measures. Continue practicing physical distancing and good hand hygiene and stay home when you’re sick.
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| It's been 30 days, why is the Bylaw still in effect? | ||||||||||
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Face coverings continue to be mandatory in indoor public places and public vehicles because there are more than 50 active cases of COVID-19 in the region. These provisions will now remain in effect for an additional 30-day period (starting Nov. 26). These provisions will expire at the end of this 30-day extension if cases in the region are 50 or less in number. If cases remain above 50, the requirements will remain in effect for another 30-day cycle.
For public transit, face coverings are mandatory regardless of the number of active cases of COVID-19 in the region. |
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| What are the exceptions to the Face Covering Bylaw? | ||||||||||
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Exceptions to the Face Coverings Bylaw include:
Places of religious or worship activity are also an exception to the Bylaw, but such activity is now regulated by the Provincial Chief Medical Officer of Health’s order of Dec. 13. Faith services are limited to 15% of fire code occupancy for in-person attendance and face coverings are also required. |
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| What is considered an indoor public place? | ||||||||||
| An indoor public place is any structure that has public access to it. Indoor public spaces are defined as any enclosed area the public can readily access, such as grocery stores, retail businesses, restaurants, recreation facilities, and vehicles for hire (taxis). | ||||||||||
| Are any places exempt from the Bylaw? | ||||||||||
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Schools and other licensed childcare facilities are not impacted by the Municipal Face Covering Bylaw. Government of Alberta regulation remains and requires Grade 4 to 12 students and all staff to wear masks where physical distancing cannot be consistently maintained, including on school buses and shared areas such as hallways. Some school jurisdictions and boards may have additional mask use practices that go beyond provincial requirements. Health care facilities are exempt to the Municipal Bylaw and follow their own requirements. Employee-only spaces where physical barriers have been installed between the employee and patrons are exempt. Condominium/apartment indoor shared spaces are not considered accessible to the public and are therefore exempt. Please note these locations are subject to operators’ or owners’ own directive. |
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| Will businesses be responsible for customers complying with the Bylaw? | ||||||||||
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No. Enforcement responsibilities are shared between Bylaw Officer, Community Peace Officers, and RCMP Officers. Businesses are not expected to evict a customer or refuse service to people who are not complying with the Bylaw. Business owners are required to display the prescribed signage (from Schedule A of the bylaw) at a location that is visible to a person immediately upon entering the public place or public vehicle. These signs are readily available for download above. |
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| What will enforcement of this Bylaw look like? | ||||||||||
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The primary focus of RMWB is educating residents and visitors in the Wood Buffalo Region regarding the requirement and importance of wearing face coverings in indoor public places and public vehicles (transit and taxis), rather than enforcement. Failure to wear a face covering where required or posting required signage in a business can result in a fine, but the first approach will be education. Shared enforcement responsibilities are between Bylaw Officer, Community Peace Officers, and RCMP Officers. Failure to wear a face covering where and when required may result in a fine in an individual fine amount of $100. Businesses who fail to display prescribed signage are subject to a fine of $200, but again, the first step will be education. Full details regarding the penalty and violation are found within the Bylaw. |
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| Will the RMWB be distributing face coverings to residents to encourage use? | ||||||||||
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The Municipality will continue to distribute non-medical face coverings on public transit. Face coverings are available at the rear entrance of each transit bus. Business owners may sell or provide face coverings to customers if they choose. |
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| Is there an expiry date to this Bylaw? | ||||||||||
| The Bylaw, as a whole, will be reviewed by Council no later than January 31, 2021. | ||||||||||
| How can I provide feedback on this Bylaw? | ||||||||||
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The Face Covering Bylaw is scheduled for review by Council no later than Jan. 31, 2021. The item will be placed on a Council Meeting Agenda before Jan. 31, and closer to the date residents will be provided with details on how they can participate. Council meeting schedules and agenda packets are posted online at rmwb.ca/council, as they become available. Please monitor this page for updates on this information. |
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| How does this Bylaw impact gyms, sports centres and fitness studios in the RMWB? | ||||||||||
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When in effect, face coverings are required at all times while in gyms, sports centres and fitness studios unless actively participating in intense physical activity. This means individuals can temporarily remove the face covering to exercise but must wear the face covering when entering the facility, using the washrooms, or if spectating. Please note that the Government of Alberta regulation still requires physical distancing to be maintained during group fitness activities (at all indoor and outdoor locations). Where spotting is necessary for heavy weightlifting, participants should form small cohorts to limit direct contact with others. Spotters should consider wearing a face covering. |
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| Are schools and daycares impacted by the Municipal Bylaw? | ||||||||||
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No. Schools and other provincially licensed facilities like day cares are not impacted by the Municipal Face Covering Bylaw and rules at these places will continue to follow regulation set out by the Government of Alberta. This provincial regulation requires Grade 4 to 12 students and all staff to wear masks where physical distancing cannot be maintained, including on school buses and shared areas such as hallways. Some school jurisdictions and boards may have additional mask use practices that go beyond provincial requirements. We ask residents to contact their child’s school or daycare if they have questions about face covering requirements at those locations. |
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| What is the safest way to dispose of face coverings? | ||||||||||
| Alberta Health Services recommends disposing of face coverings in a lined garbage bin and washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with a minimum of 60% alcohol, both before and after touching your face covering. Please do not dispose of face coverings in recycling bins. For more information on proper face covering use, visit Alberta.ca/masks. |