Mount A keeping masks mandatory this fall, other universities waiting

A New Brunswick university is bucking the no-mask-mandate trend and keeping them mandatory this fall.

Mount Allison University in Sackville said masks will continue to be mandatory indoors, including in hallways, stairwells and classrooms, with some exceptions.

"Recent COVID-19 case counts across Canada confirm that COVID continues to be prevalent," a letter to students, faculty and staff said Wednesday.

"It seems as if we will be living with COVID for some time yet and our continued prudence is needed."

Jean-Paul Boudreau, president and vice-chancellor, said this was an easy decision to make, especially considering that most students live on campus and interact regularly with the rest of the Sackville community.

"I would say this is a low risk, high reward decision," he said in an interview Thursday. 

"We know that masks work ... There was very high compliance in the first place in our campus."

The University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University in Fredericton have kept their mandatory mask mandates even after the province ended restrictions in March.

On Thursday, spokesperson Heather Campbell said UNB will reassess its COVID policies "prior to the start of the fall term as needed, based on the epidemiology of the virus."

STU spokesperson Jeffrey Carleton said Thursday the university also hasn't decided if it's keeping the mandates in the fall.

"We expect to meet with Public Health shortly to go over the status of the province and their outlook for the fall and then make our decision on campus operations," Carleton said in an email. 

"We should know more about our operations for the fall semester in the coming days and weeks."

Université de Moncton spokesperson Nathalie Cormier said the university has been recommending, but not mandating, masks indoors on campus since June.

"Members of the university community are welcome to continue to wear masks if they wish, while respecting the choice of others," she said.