Require masks in restaurants, bars to stop coronavirus, Toronto mayor urges Ont. premier

Toronto – Masks should be mandatory inside restaurants and bars in Toronto when indoor dining and drinking is again allowed, Mayor John Tory said in a letter to the premier of Ontario.

In the letter, written after consultation with the city’s legal department and health officials and shared on social media, requested six measures be taken that go beyond the province’s reopening guidelines: mandatory face covering for staff and customers, a requirement that customers remain seated except when using washrooms or paying, earlier closing hours, further capacity restrictions to limit occupancy (in line with guidelines for weddings and funerals), screening of staff for COVID-19 symptoms, requirement for customers to provide contact information – to be kept for 30 days – to allow for tracing purposes.

I’ve sent a letter to Premier @fordnation with a request for additional measures to be implemented as part of Stage 3. These six recommendations will help protect our City from further spread of #COVID19 & help ensure we continue safely reopening. pic.twitter.com/k26BxDsDT4

— John Tory (@JohnTory) July 19, 2020

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In a news release on July 17, the City of Toronto updated citizens on the latest developments concerning health and safety measures and reported cases.