Image

Sarnia makes masks mandatory starting Friday

July 27, 2020

If you’re headed to Sarnia, you’ll have to have a mask.

Sarnia City Council has approved a mandatory mask bylaw. People in public spaces will be required to wear a mask starting Friday.

Mayor Mike Bradley, who championed the idea a Lambton County Council, says it is a necessary step in the fight against COVID-19. A mandatory bylaw county-wide was turned down by a margin of 13-4. “I was bitterly disappointed this was not resolved at Lambton county council,” he said.

Lambton’s medical officer of health has said he would not impose a ban since there has been no community spread in Lambton for some time. Ranade has always maintained he would be open to a mandatory mask policy if the conditions required it. In that case, he said a municipal bylaw would be more effective.

“We’ve been in this for 130 days now…what has been difficult has been the sense that this is over…it’s not. It is far from over.”

Bradley says the move is necessary as more businesses open.

Only two councillors opposed the move, Councillors Margaret Bird and Terry Burrell.

Bird argued the types of masks people are wearing are not a guarantee to stop the spread of COVID-19. “If you make this mandatory…but don’t maintain physical distancing, which is the most important component of this…the number of cases will go way up. I’m convinced of that.”

Councillors, during a special teleconference meeting Monday, said they had been innundated with emails and calls on the issue, mostly in favour of the policy.

Councillor Brian White says he talked to one business owner who pleaded with him to implement a policy so he didn’t have conflict with his customers. “He wanted to simply point to a law that says thou shalt.”

White added the businessman told him he could not afford another shutdown and he begged council to do something so that he doesn’t have to close his business. “Economically, they cannot survive. They don’t want to be the ones subsidizing “our freedom of choice here.”

Starting Friday, everyone over the age of five will be required to wear a mask in businesses, places of worship, public buildings, like city hall or provincial and federal buildings including the post office, and common areas of places such as hotels or motels.

Fines for not wearing a mask, for both individuals and businesses which do not enforce the rule, will be $1,000.

The bylaw will remain in effect until the end of the year although the mayor says it can be revoked by council at any time.

Share This

Image
Front Page

Bluewater Health receives $125K donation

April 17, 2025

Matt Gordon says a $125,000 gift from The Gordon Foundation and Kel-Gor Limited to Bluewater Health is, in part a recognition of a “few exceptional individuals.” The Bluewater Health Foundation announced the gift Thursday. “We are proud to make this donation to Bluewater Health, not only to support the hospital’s continuedexcellence but also to recognize a few exceptional individuals whose

Read More

Image
Front Page

Easter Bunny break in Petrolia

April 17, 2025

The Independent It appears the Easter Bunny is taking a little break in Petrolia before his big weekend. He was seen Thursday morning on Petrolia Line in front of St. Paul’s United Church greeting cars and people alike.

Read More

Image
Front Page

Strategic voters say they want to oust Marilyn Gladu

April 16, 2025

Cathy Dobson/The Independent Several members of a new group organizing to defeat incumbent MP Marilyn Gladu were among the audience of more than 120 packing the room for an all-candidates meeting Tuesday. They are willing to abandon their traditional party loyalties, they say, if it will mean Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong will be represented in Ottawa by someone other than the CPC candidate.

Read More

Image
Front Page

Plympton-Wyoming will hook into Huron Shores transit

April 15, 2025

Residents have been asking to be involved in the rural transit system since it started Heather Wright/The Independent Rural transit is coming to Plympton-Wyoming. The town will soon partner with Lambton Shores, Bluewater and Kettle and Stony Point with the Huron Shores Transit System. The buses began running the roads of North Lambton in 2020, taking residents into Sarnia for

Read More