City of Saskatoon is reducing its COVID-19 safeguards despite having some of the highest numbers of hospitalizations the city has seen.Saskatoon city council, in a special session on Tuesday morning, voted to stop requiring proof of vaccination against COVID-19, or recent negative tests for the disease, for people entering city facilities when the provincial government rescinds the public health order to that effect.Councillors also voted to keep requiring visitors to wear a mask in city buildings and on public transit even after the province no longer requires it.
Saskatchewan moves to end COVID-19 public health orders The administration told councillors it recommended removing the proof of vaccination and of a recent negative test because it legally relies on the province to implement them.“It would be very challenging to continue proof of vaccination without the public health order in place,” emergency planning director Pamela Goulden-McLeod stated.Requiring masking, city solicitor Cindy Yelland said, is less invasive and therefore more defensible, compared with requiring proof of vaccination.City manager Jeff Jorgenson said the city would be in a more contentious situation were it to keep requiring COVID-19 restrictions when the province didn’t.