Masks mandatory at Loblaw affiliate stores on Aug. 29

Aug 22, 2020 | 11:17 PM

TORONTO, ON. — While Lethbridge City Council has already passed first and second readings of a temporary bylaw to enforce the wearing of masks in all indoor spaces, the final decision will come on Monday August, 24.

Debate on the bylaw comes after the city already mandated the wearing of masks in city buildings earlier this month.

Several national stores have already mandated the wearing of masks in their businesses, including Walmart, which instituted the edict on August 12. Now, a major food chain has followed suit.

Loblaws stores from B.C. to Ontario, including The Real Canadian Superstore, No Fills and the T-and-T Supermarket Chain, will require most customers to wear a mask while shopping, starting Aug. 29.

Extra Foods and Shoppers Drug Mart, which are also owned by Loblaws, have not made any announcements regarding masks.

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The company says that masks will not be mandatory for people who are unable to wear one for medical reasons.

The move is designed to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and Loblaws notes that public health officials say wearing a mask can reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19 to others by preventing the spread of infected droplets.

The mask decision comes after a COVID-19 outbreak was declared last week at a Loblaws warehouse in the Fraser Health region of British Columbia, where nine employees contracted the disease. The outbreak did not occur at a store, and it’s not clear if the rule change is related.

by Dori Modney