Toronto Is Dropping Mask Mandates Following Ontario's Lead & Here's What You Need To Know

Toronto has officially announced that it will follow Ontario's lead and drop mask mandates in most areas on March 21.

The city of Toronto released a press release on March 18 saying that they "will continue to follow provincial guidance on face masks and will lift masking requirement for visitors in most City facilities when most provincial masking regulations are lifted on Monday, March 21."

This means as of Monday, face masks will no longer be required in spaces like "retail stores, bars, restaurants, gyms, community centres or museums."

However, masks will still be required in select settings such as public transit, shelters, retirement homes, long-term care homes and health care settings.

If you frequently use public transit, you'll have to keep a mask handy if you plan on riding or hanging out at the station for the TTC, GO, UP, or VIA Rail.

However, if you're travelling in Union Station in the "non-transit related areas," masks will not be required, but you'll have to slip it back on as soon as you get to your platform or station.

Firefighters, paramedics, long-term care workers and other professionals working in "essential critical care services in highest-risk settings" will be required to continue to wear a mask on the job from March 21 to April 26.

All other professionals will have the choice of wearing a mask while working.

As of April 27, the Ontario government plans to remove remaining COVID-19 measures and mask mandates as they move towards dealing with the pandemic in the long term.