Starting today, masks are mandatory in Côte Saint-Luc's indoor public spaces

Starting today, people will have to wear a face mask in Côte Saint-Luc's indoor public spaces, including all stores, businesses and municipal buildings.

A bylaw adopted in early June came into effect on July 1, with the goal of preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the suburb. Anyone not wearing a mask in indoor public places will face fines between $100 and $500. 

Mayor Mitchell Brownstein says more and more businesses have been enforcing the rules.

"We all have to work together. The most important person is the individual, who has to take responsibility and not think that this whole thing is over," Brownstein said. 

Merchants are also asked to bar people who aren't wearing a mask or face covering from entering their business. Côte Saint-Luc is providing stores with masks and distributed them to the population. 

The bylaw also requires apartment and condo building owners to install hand sanitizer dispensers at all entrances and near elevators, and to install signs that recommend residents wear a mask in areas where physical distancing isn't possible. Public security will be guarding municipal building entrances to enforce the rules.

In March, Côte Saint-Luc was one of the neighbourhoods hardest hit by COVID-19 on the island of Montreal. 

"If we want to not have a very strong second wave, we have to all work together and control the virus by covering our face," Brownstein said. 

In June, Brownstein said an exception to the bylaw will be made for those who cannot wear a face mask because of health reasons, such as respiratory issues or difficulty hearing. 

"We also have the ability to wear a visor as an option," Brownstein said at the time. 

Quebec makes masks mandatory on public transit

Enforcing the mask is becoming more common in Canada. 

Quebec joined Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto and Guelph on Tuesday, announcing that wearing a face mask will be mandatory for all public transit users in Quebec beginning July 13.

The new rule will apply to anyone over the age of 12 who is taking a bus, commuter train or the Metro. For children younger than that, wearing a mask is strongly recommended by the province, but not obligatory.

Toronto Mayor John Tory is pushing for his city to adopt a temporary bylaw making masks mandatory indoors, which he hopes to have in place by the time new rules for masks on his city's public transit go in place next week.

And Ontario's Peel region, just outside Toronto, announced Tuesday it was making masks mandatory in stores and other indoor public spaces.

Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health in Ontario made masks or face coverings mandatory at most businesses in the counties of Wellington and Dufferin and the City of Guelph early in June.

In the United States, 18 states have rules requiring a mask when physical distancing isn't possible, such as at the grocery store or on public transit. 

Canada's Uber and Lyft ride-sharing apps will now require both users and drivers to wear a face mask.

And several grocery store chains, such as T&T Supermarket and the Amazon-owned Whole Foods, are requiring employees and customers to wear masks.