They are already mandatory onboard all TTC vehicles, on GO Transit and the UP Express, not to mention inside all indoor public spaces, and now it looks like face masks could become required inside all rental residential buildings' common areas.
During the briefing, Tory said he had written a letter to the Greater Toronto Apartment Association, which represents 240 property management companies that own and operate more than 160,000 units in the region, urging them to enforce mandatory mask rules in the common areas of their rental residential buildings.
READ: TTC Green Lights Mandatory Face Masks for Passengers
“I am hopeful that the association of apartment owners will strongly encourage its members to adopt a similar policy requiring face coverings in common areas, such as the lobbies, the laundry rooms and the elevators of residential buildings,” Tory said during the press conference.
“I believe implementing these rules in buildings will help residents protect each other from the spread of COVID-19, especially when you take into account the number of Torontonians who live in residential apartment buildings,” said Tory.
Mayor Tory mentioned that while many condominiums have already implemented their own face mask policies, others haven’t, and he continues to hear concerns from tenants.
Tory added that in the condominium building he lives in Yorkville, a policy has already been implemented and the building uses city signage to remind tenants.
“People follow these rules because they are good citizens and we are all in this together.”
The City of Toronto made face masks mandatory inside public spaces earlier this month, including in retail and convenience stores, malls and shopping plazas, and grocery stores and bakeries, to name a few.
Currently, masks in residential buildings aren't mandatory under provincial emergency orders or city bylaws. However, Toronto Public Health says it continues to strongly recommend the use of masks in all indoor settings and especially in all settings where it is difficult to maintain a physical distance.
This comes as the City confirmed there are currently 15,144 cases of COVID-19 in Toronto, an increase of 107 cases since Friday. As of Tuesday, 13,498 people have recovered from COVID-19, while 1,137 people have died from the deadly virus.
