B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner has issued a simple poster to clarify mask-wearing exemptions permitted under law. The poster is designed to be placed alongside notices or signage about a business’s mask-wearing policies.
Translations of this poster are available in:
Arabic | Farsi | French | Korean | Mandarin | Punjabi | Tagalog | Traditional Chinese | Vietnamese
This poster is free to download and share. For more details, please see our Terms of Use.
The poster clarifies that you do not have to wear a mask if:
- you are under 12 years old
- you are unable to wear a mask because of a health condition or physical or mental impairment
- you are unable to put on or remove a mask without help from another person
People who are able to wear a mask, but who choose not to as a matter of preference are not exempt. People who are not exempt but refuse to wear a mask in an indoor public setting could be subject to a fine.
The poster advises business owners that:
- If a person claims a mask exemption, take them at their word. Proof should not be required.
- Business owners cannot be fined for allowing people without masks to enter their place of business.
More resources
- Press release: Mask exemption poster for businesses now available from BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner
- Policy guidance: A human rights approach to mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Video: Message from Commissioner Govender on human rights during COVID-19 (March 2020)
- Commissioner Govender’s full policy statement on human rights during the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 frequently asked questions from BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner