City council to vote on mask bylaw March 8, asks Edmontonians to fill out survey

Edmonton City Council will meet on March 8 to discuss repealing the city's temporary mandatory face-coverings bylaw.

Despite the province announcing it will move ahead to Step 2 of the reopening plan on March 1, Edmonton's mask bylaw stipulates two triggers have to be met to have council vote on rescinding it.

Those triggers include the city's active COVID-19 case count dropping below 100 cases per 100,000 residents for 28 straight days, and the province drops its masking rules.

Despite limited testing, current case numbers in the city are at 161 active cases per 100,000 residents. 

City Manager Andre Corbould said in a statement to CTV News Edmonton on Sunday that the mask bylaw will continue to be in effect until council reviews it.

On Monday, the city announced it would hold a special meeting next week where councillors would "discuss the repeal" of the bylaw.

In advance of the meeting, the city is asking residents to voice their thoughts on mandatory masking in a new survey.

Available until March 7, the survey asks Edmontonians about mask use on transit, in public spaces, and how likely residents would continue wearing masks should the bylaw be rescinded or if it would change their willingness to use public transit.

"The results of the survey will be used to inform council members in their review of the bylaw," the city said in a statement.

The survey can be accessed online.