North Battleford Mayor David Gillan and Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie are expected to have discussions with council members in the coming weeks after mask restrictions have creeped back into large cities in the prairie provinces. (File photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

No decision yet

Battlefords communities yet to discuss return of mask mandates

Sep 1, 2021 | 12:06 PM

Amid budget season creeping up on both Battleford municipalities, the potential return of COVID-19 restrictions will be a key discussion in the coming weeks.

After several professional sports franchises announced rules around vaccination requirements for fans, larger cities have begun to bring back masking mandates. On Saturday, Regina will begin enforcing mask wearing at indoor city facilities, as well as on Regina Transit.

In the Battlefords, there are still some rules in place for city and town facilities. Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie said they’re not dealing with as many immediate decisions with the Tot Lot now closed and the arena not open yet.

“We’re in a little better position than most municipalities for being able to control access,” he said. “But council will have to discuss what a mask mandate in town facilities looks like.”

Those discussions will involve the feedback they’ve received from constituents on the direction the town should go. Leslie said he’s in favour of allowing communities to make their own decisions on how to proceed, rather than government mandating vaccine passports and mask wearing.

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“I think it should be up to the businesses and the municipalities and not just broad brushed by the federal or provincial government,” he said. “If there’s a business that’s going to demand proof of vaccination, I’ll support it. I hope everyone will trend towards getting it, but I don’t think we’re in a position yet to mandate it.”

In regards to the actions taken by Saskatoon and Regina, Leslie said it’s appropriate given the position they are in.

“Our big centres are more susceptible to the coronavirus and Delta variant,” he said. “Not surprised, it was eventually going to come to municipalities to make that choice and our two largest centres would lead the way.”

And the town mayor also implored residents to resist acting with hostility to anyone based on their vaccination status.

“We need to come together as a community and positively encourage everyone to get vaccinated,” he said. “But this divisiveness needs to stop. It’s not healthy for anybody and we need to find a way to live through COVID and live together.”

battlefordsNOW reached out to the City of North Battleford and Mayor David Gillan’s office on Tuesday for comment. In response, they said nothing has been brought to council, and no decision has been made on mandatory masking for employees or in city facilities.

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