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Niagara Falls City Council Holds Off on Introducing Local Mandatory Mask Bylaw

They're going to wait and see what the Region decides before passing a mandatory mask bylaw in Niagara Falls.

Council passed a motion yesterday afternoon, to hold a special meeting to discuss a local bylaw if Regional Council does not make a decision next week.

Regional Council discussed the matter for close to five hours last Wednesday night but decided to defer the motion until Thursday July 23rd.

City Councillor Mike Strange says if separate municipalities decide to pass their own mandatory mask bylaw people will just go somewhere else to shop.

"It should be coming from the province, health officials or the Region because everything is done in stages. The numbers are all done by the Region so I think we should leave it to the Region's hands and if they don't make a decision it will come back to us in an emergency meeting."

Only two councillors voted against yesterday's motion; Carolynn Ioannoni and Lori Lococo.

Ioannoni says the Regional motion would not give local businesses the power to enforce masks.

"The Region's bylaw will be able to enforce people. Our bylaw would give businesses the authority to say to someone you can't come in here because you don't have a mask."

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