The collective actions and sacrifices of so many throughout the pandemic have finally allowed for the slow return to a more familiar life.

And while it’s heartening to see transit ridership increase in line with changing provincial restrictions – public health officials are stressing the need to remain vigilant as the Delta variant picks up steam – even if you’re fully vaccinated.

One of the most important health and safety measures people can do to help keep everyone safe is wearing face coverings on public transit.

According to Metrolinx, mask compliance on GO Transit and UP Express has been consistently above 90% throughout the pandemic.  

However, Metrolinx officials say some customers seem less likely to wear a mask now and tell staff that they don’t feel they need to wear one since they are fully vaccinated. As a result, staff are noticing mask compliance is quickly dropping.

In response, Metrolinx is stepping up our efforts to encourage customers to continue to wear their masks.

Customers will continue to see GO and UP staff members proactively monitoring compliance and encouraging people to properly wear their masks.

Although on-board officers are doing their part to ensure compliance, Metrolinx remains committed to education over enforcement.

To celebrate and thank riders that continue to travel on GO and UP Express while properly wearing a face covering, Metrolinx recently hosted ‘The Maskies’ events in Union Station.

Customers travelling through the GO York Concourse and UP Express terminal at Union Station were presented a “Maskie” trophy, as well as given a free branded face covering.

These are just some of the ways Metrolinx is showing it remains committed to the health and safety of its riders and staff.

Wearing a mask for an extended period isn’t always comfortable, but sometimes it’s the small sacrifices that make the biggest difference.