Starting Friday, masks will be mandatory inside all public indoor spaces in Amherstburg.
Councillors passed a bylaw mandating face masks during their meeting Monday night, and it has some teeth to it. Those who repeatedly refuse to wear a mask could face a fine.
"This is something that the bylaw and licensing department will have to follow up with the province and come up with a number that is reasonable," said Mayor Aldo DiCarlo. "Like most municipalities, though, the fine is really the last resort."
DiCarlo has heard other municipalities have imposed a fine of $200, but in Amherstburg, the focus, first and foremost, will be on education.
Masks will be required inside all places of business, community centres, entertainment venues, common areas of apartment and condominium buildings, and licensed taxis. Unlike bylaws in Leamington and Windsor, it is also mandatory inside places of worship.
Bylaws in Windsor and Leamington do not cover churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship.
Signs will be posted at the entrances of impacted businesses, and "exceptions are made for children and those with underlying medical conditions and to comply with the Ontario Human Rights Code," the town said in a news release.
For the most part, DiCarlo said most people in the town are already in compliance, but there are complaints.
"I think most people are following the guidelines, and that only really leaves us with a real small group of people that hopefully, we can get through to," he explained. "That has kept our bylaw department extremely busy."
