Ontario Mask Mandates Will Officially Be Ending & Here's What You Need To Know
It's almost time to say goodbye to all of those masks you've bought.
Who's ready to mask off? Well, the Ontario government just announced that masks will soon be behind us for good over the next couple of months.
As of March 21, Ontarians will no longer be required to wear masks at most indoor places, including schools.
Then, starting on April 27, all masking requirements will be lifted at all remaining spots, which include public transit, long-term care and retirement homes, health-care settings, shelters, jails, and other congregate care and living settings.
"With the peak of Omicron behind us, Ontario has been able to cautiously and gradually move through its reopening milestones," government officials wrote.
The Ford government lifted a slew of public health measures earlier this month, with vaccine passports officially scrapped and the remaining capacity limits at venues completely removed as of March 1.
On top of masks becoming optional, the Ontario government shared a timeline and some directives for the province on how to live with COVID-19 and enter a post-pandemic world.
Businesses and organizations can choose to end their mandatory vaccine policies starting Mach 14, and the Reopening Ontario Act will officially expire towards the end of March.
Ontario pointed to decreased COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions, as well as a stabilizing positivity rate, as some of the key indicators to why the government has chosen to ease up on the remaining public health measures for the province.
Back in December of last year, the City of Toronto extended its masking bylaws until April. However, it is being reported that the City is looking to change this to match provincial guidance.
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