By March 21, wearing a mask in Ontario will be a choice not a law.

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Keiran Moore, Wednesday announced the mask mandates are being lifted in all public places including schools. Mask mandates in long term care and congregate living spaces will be lifted April 27.

Moore says the protocols to slow the rate of COVID-19 have worked to protect the health care system.

Moore faced criticism as news of the end of the mask mandate came out last night. The head of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Table said they were not consulted and the decision appears to be politically motivated. The provincial election is in June.

Moore says he personally be wearing a mask on public transit and in busy public spaces like malls.

He adds the province will continue to provide free masks and rapid tests to schools this year.

And Moore says that while the mask mandates are being lifted now, they could return if the virus flares up in the fall.