Niagara-On-The-Lake Council discussed the idea of requiring mask use in outdoor areas at the Outlet Mall.
During last night's council meeting, Lord Mayor Betty Disero brought up her concerns with long line-ups as people wait to get into stores for Black Friday. "My biggest concern is while they're waiting in line to get in the store, if they're not wearing masks and they're not social distancing, they're breathing all over each other. They might as well just go out for lunch together."
Council was told if they want to enact a bylaw regulating mask use outside the mall, the bylaw should also encompass all other areas as well, instead of targeting one specific area.
However, as a private property mall officials could bring in their own regulations requiring customers keep their masks on, even while outside.
Councillor Wendy Cheropita said, "The Outlet Mall is a private property. They could in fact start their own regulation to require masks everywhere and use their own security forces to help to enforce it. I think that would be a very good idea because there will be a lot of people, there will be big crowds and if you remind people and you put up signs, most people are usually pretty good. So that would be what my suggestion would be. That we try to encourage that."
Lord Mayor Disero asked about sending bylaw officers to help keep the crowds under control, but without a bylaw on the books the officers would have no authority to require face coverings outside.