Toronto City Council voted to end the city’s mask mandate on March 21, the same date Ontario plans to lift the mandate as well.

In a 24 to 1 decision city council voted in favour of ending its mask mandate.

During a scheduled presentation in the meeting, Toronto medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa recommended that the city should allow its own masking by-law to end as soon as the province amends its rules. Prior to the vote, Toronto’s own masking by-law was set to expire next month on April 8.

Known as by-law 541-2020, the mandate was set in place during Toronto’s first lockdown in spring 2020 when COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization.

De Villa said Toronto’s COVID-19 numbers have peaked, and that cases are expected to decline. This includes hospital admissions and its intensive care units.

Vaccine efforts by the city's Team Toronto taskforce are expected to continue, vaccine supplies continue to be sufficient and other emerging treatments against the virus are being approved, de Villa said.

Masks are still recommended in close, in-person environments. Based on previous city measures in the last two years, de Villa said these bylaws and mandates can be adjusted based on emerging circumstances and unforeseen changes in the coming months.

For the Toronto Transit Commision(TTC), it expects to not uplift its mask mandate until mid-April, meaning transit riders on all buses and trains are expected to still wear masks on their commutes.

Mask mandates are expected to be dropped by the Toronto District School Board(TDSB), however there has been significant pushback from concerned parents and commitees saying it is too early to end the bylaw.

CJRU reached out to Director of Education Coleen Rawlings Russell about the mandate and whether teachers and staff will be continue to be given KN-95 masks and face shields for in-person learning.

No response was given at this time.

More details to come.

Listen to the CJRU news update here: