Regina city council votes to drop proof of vaccine, masking measures alongside province

The City of Regina is removing the requirement for proof of vaccinations against COVID-19 at civic facilities beginning on Monday.

That is the same day the province will remove its proof of vaccination mandate.

Council voted 8-2 in favour of lifting the health measure at a special meeting Friday afternoon.

Coun. Terina Shaw said the decision is out of the city's jurisdiction.

"I've watched people in our community suffer depression, overdoses, suicide, segregation, loss of jobs," Shaw said. "For example, my daughter has lost her chance to compete at the Paralympics because she can no longer practise. This is not the community that I want to be involved in."

About a dozen speakers addressed council, both for and against lifting the health measures.

Coun. Cheryl Stadnichuk, who opposed lifting the health measure along with Coun. Shanon Zachidniak, said what she heard from many delegates who came before council on Friday showed her there is "still a lot of misinformation about about COVID and about vaccines."

"I am very concerned that removing public health measures at this time is going to prolong this Omicron wave," Stadnichuk said.

"It is too soon. We have heard from the Saskatchewan Medical Association. The Canadian Medical Association say it is too soon to remove these measures."

Council also voted to drop masking at all indoor civic facilities and on city buses at the end of the month — when the province's masking rules will expire — by a 6-4 vote.

In-person council meetings and committees will also resume in March.

Council also rescinded the emergency powers that had been given to the city manager. 

Stadnichuk tried to add a recommendation that would have had administration look into providing classes at facilities for those who are fully vaccinated or who have test negative for COVID-19, but the motion was defeated.

Coun. Shanon Zachidniak voted to keep the health measures and said she was disappointed and frustrated by the administration's report.

"Up until this point I have been proud of the leadership that city council has demonstrated in relation to COVID since the election and prior with previous council," Zachidniak said. "I can't say that I feel that city council and administration is necessarily, based on what I've heard today, willing to continue displaying that leadership, and that is disheartening."

Coun. Jason Mancinelli, who voted for lifting the health measures, said without a provincial mandate he felt the city had no choice.

"I didn't seek that type of authority when I became a councillor," Mancinelli said.

Saskatoon city councillors voted Tuesday to end proof of vaccination requirements at city facilities alongside the province. but leave a mask requirement in place. 

City administrators in Saskatoon told councillors it would be difficult to ask for proof of vaccination without a provincial health order to back them up.

Prince Albert city council is holding a special meeting on Friday evening to make its own call on how to handle COVID-19 rules in that city.