REGINA — The City of Regina has announced that it will be implementing it’s own masking and vaccine policies, including asking the public to provide proof of vaccination at all city facilities.
City manager Chris Holden made the announcement on Tuesday, outlining a staggered approach to bringing in the new restrictions.
“We're taking a fairly proactive and fairly aggressive approach. As a city, we believe that that is a necessary step,” said Holden.
Holden said the decision was made with the thought of public health and safety top of mind, and the city’s goal is to encourage vaccination in all eligible individuals.
“If you're not vaccinated and you want to be able to participate in life in your community to the fullest, there's a bit of an incentive there to make a choice and be vaccinated,” said Holden.
The announcement follows the approval of similar policies by Saskatoon city council, and a statement from the provincial government saying no province-wide measures will be coming.
Beginning Sept. 4, masks will be mandatory in all city facilities and on public transit, which includes the shuttles to and from Mosaic Stadium for Roughriders games.
Fans headed to the Labour Day Classic will be asked to wear a mask on the shuttle, the only layer of precaution in place until the vaccination requirements at Mosaic Stadium come into effect on Sept. 17.
Additionally, vaccination requirements for public and staff will be coming into effect in the next few weeks, as an added safety measure.
“Everyone will have confidence, as an employee or as a member of the public, that if you're in a city facility, people are either double vaccinated or they have provided proof that they have a negative COVID test,” said Holden.
All city employees will be asked to provide proof of vaccination beginning on Sept. 15, with the exception of those working from home and not at City Hall or other facilities.
Holden said that city councillors will be encouraged to be vaccinated but not required, and testing will be made available to those who are unable to be vaccinated, as an alternative measure.
As for the general public, proof of vaccination or negative results from a recent COVID test will be needed to enter all city-owned buildings beginning on Sept. 20.
City Hall anticipates making rapid tests available for employees, but members of the public are expected to seek testing on their own prior to attending city buildings.
“It’s not our intention to start doing rapid tests with members of the public,” said Holden.
Holden had no estimated cost of a potential rapid test program at City Hall, but did say that funds provided by the federal government in a COVID reserve would support such an initiative.
The city is also considering utilizing members of the fire department who are certified as paramedics to internally administer the rapid testing for employees.
Regina will be relying on the province’s to release the promised QR code containing an individual's vaccination status from eHealth, in order to implement the plan at city facilities.
Without the QR code, Holden said the city may look at pushing the target dates back, rather than using the currently provided vaccination documents because they include more personal information than just vaccination details.
“As a municipality, we are being sensitive about privacy, and protection of that information,” said Holden.
In terms of enforcement, Holden said that city management is working with employee unions to develop terms regarding vaccination requirements and potential noncompliance penalties for employees.
For the public, he said that he hopes residents will respect city policy when asked to do so.
“We know that there will be a response from a number of residents in our community that are going to say that we went too far,” said Holden. “We’re not looking to get into confrontational instances, where our staff are put at risk. We’re looking for the understanding of the community and their co-operation.”
An educational campaign about the new masking and vaccination mandates will be launching soon, to further detail the incoming policies.
