No Mask Enforcement By-law for Norwich Township

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Wednesday, 13 January 2021 05:44

Norwich Township Council has voted against implementing it's own mask enforcement by-law.

NORWICH TOWNSHIP - The Township of Norwich was asked to create a mask enforcement by-law at their council meeting yesterday.

They were presented with a petition from residents call on more enforcement against anti maskers with close to 300 signatures on it.

Mayor Larry Martin says Council did not vote in favour of a by-law because the current Provincial regulations in place, already allow for enforcement.

"Well they were of the opinion, that if we don't have our own specific by-law, we cannot enforce it and that is not the case. With the Provincial mandate, our bylaw officers can enforce it, but they do not an official complaint in order to act on it."

Martin did offer this message for anyone who is not wearing a mask for non medical reasons.

"You are only fooling yourself and nobody else. I know that there are those, who don't wear one because they say it is a violation of their rights but I have rights too and I don't want to die. So it is up to them to wear a mask, because if I wear a mask, it doesn't protect me, it protects them from me and that is what they don't realize. They seem to think that, well if I wear a mask, it only protects me but that isn't the case, if you wear a mask, you are protecting the other person, more so than themselves."

The numbers in Norwich Township are high right now and Martin says it's going to be up to the public to bring them down.

"The Solicitor General phrased it very well, there is many things the Government can do but still it is up to the public themselves to turn this around and stop it or slow it down at least."

You can report someone for not wearing a mask on the Townships web site and by-law will follow up.

The resolution on from the Township reads as follows:

That the petition dated January 5th, 2021 requesting that Council re-evaluate and initiate a Mask/Face Covering By-law for the Township be received,

And that Council confirms that it remains in full support of provincial and SWPH requirements for mandatory face coverings, but that it will not adopt a local By-law requiring face coverings at this time, for the following reasons:

1. The Province of Ontario introduced requirements for mandatory face coverings in indoor public spaces across the province October 3rd, 2020;

2. It is the understanding of Council that one consideration in enacting a provincial requirement was to ensure clarity for residents across the province regarding face covering requirements;

3. Both police services and local by-law enforcement officers are authorized to enforce the current requirements put in place by the Province and SWPH;

4. Enforceability remains a concern respecting individuals, as any local by-law would be subject to the same exemptions for individuals from requirements for face coverings without requirement for proof of such exemption;

5. With such considerations, a local by-law would not provide any additional authority to require face coverings, nor additional authority for enforcement;

6. Council previously passed a resolution in support of health officials efforts to protect the health of residents, endorsed the SWPH letter of instruction regarding requirements for face coverings, and maintains its position encouraging residents to wear face coverings in public places;