On November 24, 2020, BC’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General issued Ministerial Order No. 425, which requires the use of face coverings in indoor public spaces.
The Minister has broadly defined “indoor public space” to include the following:
The Order exempts the following persons from the face covering obligation: individuals under 12 years of age; persons who are unable to wear face coverings due to health conditions or impairments; a person who is consuming food or beverage at a restaurant or other similar provider; and a person who is receiving a personal service or a health service that requires that face coverings be removed in order to receive the service. The Order identifies a number of other limited exemptions.
Visitors to indoor public spaces who do not otherwise meet the exemptions must wear a face covering (meaning either a medical mask, non-medical mask, or a tightly woven fabric, that covers both their nose and mouth).
The Order further specifies that visitors to indoor public spaces must not engage in abusive or belligerent behaviour towards another visitor or the operator of the public space that is intended to challenge, dispute, or disturb the peace in response to a face covering requirement or another person’s adherence to it.
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