Toronto Mayor John Tory is urging multi-residential building owners to make masks mandatory throughout all indoor common areas. At a press briefing on Monday, Tory revealed that he had reached out to the Greater Toronto Apartment Association (GTAA) in an effort to encourage property owners to implement their own mask rules in the interest of health and safety.

“I believe that implementing these rules in buildings will help residents protect each other from the spread of COVID-19, especially when you take into account the number of Torontonians who live in rental residential apartment buildings,” he said.

Currently, private residential properties are not included under the bylaw requiring individuals to wear masks or face coverings when entering indoor public spaces, but some condo corporations have already implemented their own. Tory said multiple renters have since reached out to him with concerns about the lack of rules at their apartment buildings. Calling these policies “an act of good corporate citizenship by landlords”, Tory emphasized that implementing a mask policy would come at no cost to them while “contributing significantly to the war on COVID-19.”

On behalf of GTAA, Daryl Chong, President & CEO, said he supports the idea of making masks mandatory in apartment building common areas.

“Mayor Tory and Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health continue to implement best practices to safeguard the residents of our City and beyond,” he said. “They and health experts around the world agree that wearing masks will save lives. We support their decision and will do our part. The Greater Toronto Apartment Association is urging members to require face masks/coverings in common areas (lobby, laundry room, elevators, other amenity spaces) in apartment buildings they own and/or manage.”