St. Catharines mayor says city will follow new provincial mask guidelines on March 21

The mayor of St. Catharines said the city will adhere to the new provincial mask guidelines coming into effect at the end of the month.

Ontario’s top doctor announced Wednesday the province will remove most mask mandates, including in schools and child-care settings on March 21.

“When you look at what the province has indicated and where the cities are going, we’re going to be following the directives from the province,” Walter Sendzik said in an interview on Morning Live Thursday.

However, Sendzik said the city will also consider the advice of their local medical officer of health.

Dr. Mustafa Hirji told CHCH News yesterday he disagrees with the decision to drop masking requirements, saying it is premature.

#Mask wearing isn’t a restriction; it is a protection.

Like speed limits aren’t restrictions on freedom; they protect freedom to be safe on the road.

Masks protect living life around #COVID19. Hard for vulnerable to live if in hospital, dying.

Temporary common sense protection

— Mustafa Hirji (@mustafahirji) March 9, 2022

Ontarians will still be required to wear masks in certain high-risk settings like public transit, long-term care, retirement homes, other congregate settings and health-care settings.

Those who are vulnerable are encouraged to continue wearing masks once mask mandates are lifted too.

Senzik reminded members of the public to tolerate an individual’s choice to wear a mask going forward.

“We’ve got to do this together,” he said.

“With this polarization that is taking place around the masks, I think we have to be respectful of one another and understand that masks are going to be here moving forward.”

During a news conference Wednesday morning, Dr. Kieran Moore said all remaining public health measures, directives and orders will end on April 27.

The chief medical officer of health said the province has seen improving health indicators, such as declining hospitalizations, high vaccination rates and a stable COVID-19 test positivity rate.