Sudbury business owners adjust to new mask rules

Starting today, people in Greater Sudbury and Manitoulin will be asked to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces and on public transit. 

While the public health unit is not officially calling masks "mandatory," its new directive does require businesses to have policies in place, and business owners have spent the last few days preparing preparing for the new rules — and deciding if and how they'll enforce their policies. 

"I think it's a good thing to do, but it will be hard to adjust at first," said Sandro Zanini, one of the owners of Elm News convenience store in downtown Sudbury. 

Business owners preparing 

The directive from Public Health Sudbury and Districts, which went out on Friday, and came into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, instructs businesses to have policies requiring masks or other face coverings, and to make "best efforts" to ensure people wear them — including through signage and verbal reminders. 

However, it is up to individual businesses to choose if they will turn away customers who aren't wearing face coverings. 

"I gotta try to be nice about it, and try not to discourage anybody because I don't want to drive anybody away," said Zanini. 

Around the corner at R Little Secret Fashions, owner Mindy Mullen said she supports the new requirements, but she does wonder how the first few days will go, as people get used to the new rules.  

"I just had people in on Saturday that asked me if I would provide masks for them. I mean, as a small business owner, it would be very very difficult for us to be able to provide masks for every customer that came through the door," Mullen said, adding she already has a number of extra expenses related to safety protocol, including providing hand sanitizer, and doing extra cleaning. 

Mullen expects there may be some "pushback" from customers at first, but she expects it won't take long before bringing and wearing a mask becomes second nature.

"It's not different than leaving your house, you don't leave without your wallet, you're not going to leave your home without your mask."

New expectations for employees 

It's not just customers who will have to get used to wearing masks. Employees who work in indoor areas with public access will also be expected to wear face coverings. 

Derik McArthur is the regional director of the United Food and Commercial Workers local 175 and 633, which represents around 7,000 workers in northern Ontario. He says he supports the measures as an extra way to protect members and the general public, though he knows there will likely be mixed reactions. 

"We heard some concerns about they're uncomfortable and some people aren't pleased with wearing masks. So we're kind of waiting to see you know how our members respond," McArthur said. 

"It does take some getting used to, it's something very new to everybody." 

At Elm News, Zanini said wearing a mask as he serves customers is something he'll have to get used to. He has breathing problems, and said he plans to take his mask off when customers leave the store. 

"On a seven or eight hour day having a mask on all day and having problems like you know, breathing already … I mean I don't think it would make it any easier," Zanini said. 

The directive from Public Health Sudbury and Districts does indicate that face covering policies should include exemptions for medical and religious reasons, as well as for children under age two, or under age five who refuse to wear a face covering.