Town of Battleford council shown at Monday's online meeting. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

COVID-19 regulations

Councillor upset people not wearing masks at rink

Feb 8, 2022 | 8:30 AM

Coun. David George raised the issue at this week’s town council meeting that he noticed a number of people weren’t wearing masks at the rink in Battleford when he was there recently.

“Masks are required at the rink,” he said of the province’s COVID-19 regulations.

Under the current public health order in effect, masking is mandatory in all indoor public spaces including recreational venues. On the province’s website it indicates individuals violating COVID-19 orders can be subject to fines of $2,000 in cases where negligence or misconduct has been found.

George noted it was not a matter of some people just taking off their masks briefly to eat or drink, which is permitted. Rather, they were blatantly not wearing masks whatsoever.

“To just not wear them at all is not right,” he said. “We do have a rule there. I don’t know how we can enforce it, but I wish we would. Somehow we have to.”

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He said not only is it against protocols, but it is also disrespectful for people not to wear masks when others at the rink are following the rules.

Mayor Ames Leslie responded to George’s concerns, saying if there is a mask problem at the rink the town can look at what actions it can take.

“We can get in touch with the province,” he said. “It is a provincial rule and it’s enforceable by the province, and by the province only.”

Leslie said the town staff can ask the offenders to put their mask up but can’t enforce the masking regulation as it’s outside the town’s jurisdiction.

“If council you feel and you get feedback that there is a mask issue at the Battleford arena, we definitely can reach out to our counterparts in the provincial government to come in to address that issue,” he said. “But it is not something that our employees technically have the authority to enforce.”

Coun. Shelley Boutin-Gervais suggested the town staff ask the offender to pull up their mask or leave the venue. And if they choose not to leave, then call the RCMP.

However, CAO Ash Alam said health inspectors would be responsible for enforcing the COVID regulations, not the police.

“Actually, technically the RCMP could refuse that call,” he said.

In the end, Leslie noted that the town will look into the matter further to get more information and will get back to council in a couple of days about how to address masking non-compliance.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow