Queen City Mayor Sandra Masters said Regina is considering whether to bring masks back for indoor gatherings..In the meantime, she says the city, province, Regina Exhibition Association Limited is working on the creation of a QR code or bar code system to show proof of vaccination..Starting Saturday, September 4, masks will be required when visiting indoor city facilities and while riding city transit..“The health and safety of City of Regina residents and employees is our top priority,” said City Manager Chris Holden in a press release..“Masks continue to be an effective way to limit the spread of COVID-19 while vaccination is the best protection against the virus. The most important way to protect ourselves, our families and our neighbours is for every eligible individual to be vaccinated.”.The Government of Saskatchewan will introduce a digital QR code to the MySaskHealthRecord account’s vaccination record in mid-September..The City is setting a target date of September 15 to require proof of vaccination for its employees..“The City is also working towards requiring proof of vaccination for the public accessing indoor City facilities starting September 20,” stated the release..Further details surrounding proof of vaccination will be announced in the coming weeks..Although Elections Canada will not require vaccinations to vote, the city has jurisdiction over its facilities..In a press conference just one day prior to the announcements, Masters spoke in much less definite terms. She said at the time the city had no plans to implement mandatory masks in indoor city facilities but hoped to set up a vaccine pass in mid-September..“Given the national nature of some of our tenants and events, I think [Regina Exhibition Associated Limited] is hoping to implement a system that allows them to support tenants — given some of the pressures across the country,” Masters said..“We’re looking at something long-term, not just a fix for the short term just because we do not want to bury hosting events and sporting activities to be that we don’t have a process for verifying vaccination status..“More than 50% of who we’ve got in hospital right now are between the ages of 20-39 years of age,” she said..“We know more than three-quarters of those in hospitals are unvaccinated.”.Voters who want to request a mail-in ballot from Elections Canada must do so by 6 p.m. September 14..Lee Harding is a Western Standard correspondent living in Regina.
