City of Hamilton repeals Face Coverings & Masks By-law, Physical Distancing By-law and other temporary measures

HAMILTON, ON – Earlier today at a Special Council Meeting, Hamilton City Council voted to repeal Hamilton’s Face Coverings and Masks By-law, and the City’s Physical Distancing By-law effective immediately.

Provincial regulations require that masks continue to be worn in high-risk settings, including public transit, long-term care and retirement homes, health-care settings, shelters and correctional facilities. In addition, masking continues to be required in certain circumstances such as for individuals that are close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases, and those who have travelled outside of Canada recently.

The repealing of these temporary local COVID-19 measures was made in alignment with Provincial recommendations for reopening and careful easing of public health measure across Ontario and follows a thorough assessment of local key health indicators and epidemiological data.

Effective immediately, Hamilton’s Medical Officer of Health has rescinded the Letter of Instructions for those responsible for local high-rise apartment and high-rise condominium buildings previously put in place on July 12, 2021. To reduce transmission of COVID-19, operators of residential high-risk apartment and condominium buildings are recommended to clean and disinfect shared items and high-touch surfaces in common areas and when surfaces are visibly dirty, provide access to hand hygiene stations or alcohol-based hand sanitizer in all common area rooms, and staff work and break areas and ensuring heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is functioning and maintained as per manufacturer’s instructions.

While Hamilton is past the peak and witnessing the decline of the Omicron-driven wave, Hamilton Public Health Services anticipates COVID-19 will continue to circulate at a manageable level as public health measures are lifted. Hamilton Public Health Services will continue to work with the Office of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health to assess interventions and measures should key health indicators, including hospitalizations and ICU admissions, begin trending upwards in a worrisome manner.

Wearing a mask continues to be an effective public health measure for reducing the spread of COVID-19. Some individuals may choose to keep wearing masks in places where they are not required, and others, such as those who are close contacts of COVID-19 cases, will be required to wear masks for a period of time. Local businesses and organizations may also require or encourage masking based on the risk in their workplaces and to their patrons. Hamilton Public Health Services strongly supports these decisions and would encourage all Hamiltonians to be kind and respectful to their neighbours, regardless of their personal choices and circumstances.

As Hamilton, the province and the rest of Canada shift from public health mandates to sector-specific guidance and recommendations, organizations and individuals will have to make an informed, risk-based decision on how to prevent COVID-19 in the community. Public health measures—actions taken to reduce an individual’s risk to COVID-19 and other illnesses like the flu—such as staying home when sick and regular hand hygiene should continue to be practiced. The individual public health measures are most effective when layered together amongst other actions that individuals and organizations can take to protect themselves and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, such as getting fully vaccinated and receiving a third dose, practicing physical distancing, participating in activities outdoors where possible, and improving indoor ventilation. Community members are encouraged to consider their own risk factors and those with who they love or spend time, their risk tolerance and the setting they are in when it comes to protecting themselves from COVID-19.

Quick facts

• The face coverings and masks by-law was put in place on July 17, 2020 and the physical distancing bylaw came into effect on August 13, 2020
• Hamilton Healthcare Partners continue to make progress in vaccinating eligible community members. To date, 87.4 per cent of eligible Hamiltonians 5+ have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 83.9 per cent are fully vaccinated. 53.5 per cent of those 12 years of age and over have received a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.