B.C. condo owners urge stratas to ensure COVID-19 mask rules are followed

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Condo owners across B.C. are urging strata corporations to be firm in enforcing mask rules for common areas in buildings.

The first way of dealing with this situation is ensuring people know the rules by having signs up around buildings and communicating that this is now the expectation, the Condominium Home Owners Association of BC explains.

But the group’s Tony Gioventu says strata councils need to be diligent in dealing with people who knowingly break the rules.

“And I think strata councils need to not be bashful about this and call the authorities when these things are happening. You get it checked once or twice, the problems usually get resolved. Everyone hopefully is going to behave in a respectful way,” he tells NEWS 1130.

With a number of cases of people defying new laws requiring mask usage in shared areas of apartments/condos, we speak with the Condominium Home Owners Association. It's urging strata councils not to be bashful when it comes to ensuring rules are followed. More @NEWS1130 #COVID19

— Martin MacMahon (@martinmacmahon) November 25, 2020

He adds stratas can create bylaws and set up a system for issuing fines for those who flout the rules.

“I think that if you have a problem person in your building unwilling to cooperate and to act in the best interest of everyone, contact the local authorities, contact the local health board, contact the police,” he explains.

However, he notes that fines may not always get the point across. He believes involving authorities will help drive messaging home.

The province announced on Tuesday new enforcement measures that accompany B.C.’s new mask mandate. British Columbians 12 years and older are required to wear a mask in indoor public spaces. People who don’t comply with the order could be handed a $230 fine.

On Friday, Vancouver-West End MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert, a member of the governing NDP, tweeted, “Neighbours have asked if the provincial mask mandate applies to common areas (elevators, and hallways) in rental apartments and strata condos. The Ministry of Health confirmed for me that yes it does. When in doubt, where a mask!”

https://twitter.com/SChandraHerbert/status/1329825423501516801

Related articles: 

• British Columbians caught violating mandatory mask order can expect $230 fine

• Burnaby couple confronted by maskless neighbour over COVID-19 rule

• British Columbians need to find ways to stop COVID spread, not ways to get around the rules: Henry

Gioventu says the province mandating masks is a “prudent measure” to trying to limit the spread of COVID-19. However, he notes there’s been confusion when it comes to new measures and whether they apply to condo buildings.

“The imposition of masks by the medical health officer is a smart move here within multi-family buildings, especially considering people share elevators, people share corridors and hallways, they share parking garages. They’re going to come in close contact with each other. It’s kind of ridiculous to say you don’t want people having multiple households visiting each other and then say you don’t have masks in a multi-family building where you’ll have multiple households and contact with each other.”

He says consistency is necessary.

Ultimately, Gioventu is just asking everyone to do the right thing, noting many at-risk people live in condos around the province.

“Why put everyone at risk and increase the chances of the virus spreading in your building, which will create a hot spot which will only make life in your building even that much more complicated. This is the time to be responsible and be prudent.”