Ford says he'll follow top doctor's advice on lifting Ontario's mask mandates which could come by mid-March

Premier Doug Ford’s decision on whether or not to lift mask mandates in public places in Ontario will be based on the advice of the province’s top doctor, who said that the recommendation could come as soon as mid-March.

“I’ve been accused of being the most cautious leader in North America when it comes to this pandemic. I’m going to continue being cautious. But we also have to move forward, we have to get back to normal,” the premier said during a news conference Friday.

“And that’s why I’m going to follow the advice of [Chief Medical Officer of Health] Dr. Moore.”

A day earlier, Moore explained that his team would begin reviewing masking in public spaces, including schools, in the “second or third week of March” and that a decision on the matter would be made “in that timeframe.”

Recommendations on masking in other public spaces, such as subways and buses, may also be made at that time.