Calls for stricter protocols on masks in B.C. apartment buildings
Once B.C. public health officials announced masks were optional but strongly recommended earlier in the summer, Margaret McCabe said some tenants living in her apartment building simply got too comfortable not wearing them.
"Some tenants in my building have said publicly, they are not going to wear masks and they are not vaccinated. So the two things together are the larger issue," said McCabe, a tenant living in North Vancouver.
Despite signage in the lobby, McCabe said some tenants refuse to wear face coverings while in the elevator, the laundry room and other common areas.
"It makes me feel so uncomfortable. I feel like I can't leave my suite. If I go to the laundry room, I'm wearing gloves," added McCabe.
McCabe spoke with her landlord, who also manages the building, about her concerns. However, according to the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre (TRAC) there is only so much he can do.
"If a tenant is refusing to wear a mask in the building, it is very difficult for a landlord to be able to compel them to wear a mask," said Robert Patterson, lawyer and legal advocate with TRAC.
The Ministry of Health website explaining the province's re-implemented mask mandate does not specifically address mask use in multi-unit residential buildings.
According to the Ministry, masks are mandatory "in all public indoor settings and spaces," such as shopping malls, grocery stores and airports.
"That being said, if a tenant feels uncomfortable, especially if they have some particular vulnerabilities and they're concerned about being exposed, that is something to talk to the landlord about. That might be on a basis of where they can make a stronger claim," said Patterson.
In the midst of a fourth wave, driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant, McCabe hopes the Ministry of Health includes residential buildings in its provincial mask mandate and that all tenants try to be respectful towards their neighbours.
"People do have a right to choose not to be vaccinated, but does that also give them the right to infect other people?" said McCabe.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.
Case against ex-Mountie charged with helping China can go ahead in Quebec, judge says
A Quebec court judge has ruled that the case against a former RCMP officer charged with helping China conduct foreign interference can go ahead in the province.
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, will plead guilty in betting case
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case in which prosecutors allege he stole nearly US$17 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.