People riding in taxis and ride-share vehicles won’t have to wear a face mask as of Monday, provincial and local health authorities confirm, though local private ride providers are taking a cautious approach to the situation, in part out of confusion.
GuelphToday reached out to local taxi companies and Uber to see where they stand on the issue, in light of reports that some taxi companies elsewhere in Ontario will continue to require face masks to be worn, with some people stating they believe that to be a sustained requirement.
Spokespeople for the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, which separately issued mask mandate orders both set to end on Monday, confirmed face coverings will no longer be required in taxis.
“With continued improvement in trends, Ontario will remove the mandatory masking requirement for most settings on March 21st, including taxis,” wrote Bill Campbell, MOH media relations officer.
“There will be some exceptions for select settings such as public transit, health care settings, long-term care homes and congregate care settings.”
“We have nothing in place locally which would alter the information you got from the ministry,” added WDG Public Health’s Danny Williamson.
When the provincial mandate ends, individual businesses are allowed to decide whether to maintain mask-wearing rules.
“I think there will be a fair number of people still wearing one for the first little while at least,” commented Joe Morrison, secretary treasurer of Canadian Cab, noting it won’t require masks to be worn after Monday. “It’ll be up to the individual drivers if they want to wear it.
“I think everybody has to respect that choice.”
Implemented early in the pandemic, the provincial government mandated that face masks must be worn by both the driver and passengers in commercial vehicles such as taxis and ride-sharing services like Uber.
Mohammud Ieqbal, president of Red Top Taxi, believes there’s confusion around the issue of masks in cabs, stating his company was told by WDG Public Health they’ll still be needed, which is contrary to information provided to GuelphToday.
For now, Red Top Taxi is planning to maintain the mask requirement, Ieqbal said, noting that could change as the situation evolves.
“We will ask them politely to wear a mask,” he said of customers. “We just follow the instructions (from health authorities).”
Shortly after this article was first published, Ieqbal reached out to GuelphToday to state masks won't be generally required by Red Top Taxi as of Monday, but drivers going to and from congregate seniors comes will need to wear one.
For now, Uber will be maintaining a mask requirement.
"As we have done since the beginning of the pandemic, we are following provincial mandates across the country. We expect to move to a ‘mask recommended’ phase in the coming weeks and will communicate this to riders, consumers, drivers, and delivery people," a spokesperson said via email. "Until then, the ‘no mask no ride’ policy will remain in effect. We will make adjustments as needed given the ever changing public health situation.”
The provincial mask mandate remains in place for mass transit such as city buses until April 27, though masks aren’t required on school buses after this coming Monday.