The mandatory order hasn’t been renewed, which means that all COVID-19 restrictions New Brunswick has had to get used to over the past year, including mandatory masks, limits on indoor gathering, and travel restrictions, will be no more as of 11:59pm tonight.
That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t carry a mask anymore, since individual businesses have the right to enforce mandatory mask-wearing, social distancing, and capacity caps if they don’t feel ready to jump into the green phase with both feet.
CHMA called businesses in the Sackville area to see if they’ll be keeping their masks on or not, so you know what to expect when you’re running your errands this weekend.
| Masks continue to be required | Masks no longer required | Masks required under certain circumstances* |
| Cackling Goose Fog Forest Gallery Goya’s Pizza Hounds of Vintage Pi By Crow Tantramar Motel Tidewater Books Visitor Information Centre | Aida’s Café Black Duck Café Blooms Cattail Ridge Coastal Inn Cranewood Dave’s Rock Emporium Foodland Holan Kitchen Joey’s Pizza Mel’s Tearoom Rose’s Independent Sackville Cab Sackville Commons Song’s Chopsticks Snack Shop | Corner Drug Store Knuckles Truffles Sackville Farmers Market |
There’s only a handful of businesses that are keeping their mandatory mask policies. If you’re out shopping, be sure to put a mask on before you head into the Cackling Goose Market, Hounds of Vintage, or Tidewater Books. The owner of Tidewater, Ellen Pickle, says that shoppers should expect to wear a mask for the foreseeable future, citing variant concerns.
If you want to grab a bite while you’re out, wear a mask before picking up at Goya’s or Pi By Crow. If you forget your mask, you can still shop at Pi By Crow. Just knock on the pick up window and you can grab a pie without going inside.
Fog Forest Gallery has also requested that patrons put masks on. The owner says she is concerned for her two grandchildren, who are both under ten, and therefore haven’t been vaccinated yet.
The Tantramar Motel also confirmed that masks are required when entering the office, even after the restrictions lift tonight. The same goes for the Visitor Information Centre, which is the only town building to continue enforcing mask-wearing.
A few Sackville spots will have staff members donning masks for the foreseeable future, but won’t turn you away if you don’t have one.
Aida’s Café staff members will wear masks, since not all of their staff is fully vaccinated, but they are not enforced for customers. Cranewood on Main will follow a similar approach, but will also still require customers to provide contact information if they’re sitting inside.
Blooms Flower Shop, the Coastal Inn, Song’s Chopsticks, Foodland, Rose’s Independent, and Holan Kitchen will suggest that patrons wear masks, but they aren’t technically mandatory. Meanwhile, Knuckles Truffles will only require customers to wear a mask if they are attending in large groups.
The Sackville Farmers Market still encourage that everyone wear masks for the sake of customer and vendor safety, and will insist on mask-wearing when inside if social distancing can’t be maintained.
The Corner Drug Store is leaving it up to the individual to wear a mask or not, unless they are walking into the pharmacy for an appointment that requires prolonged contact. If you’re heading to the Corner Drug for a vaccine appointment or a blood pressure check, pharmacist Charles Beaver says that masks are a must. Regardless of the reason, everyone who comes into the pharmacy will have to sanitize their hands upon entry.
The Snack Shop on York will be going maskless, but welcomes customers to wear one if they wish. There will also be a box of masks in the restaurant, and staff members will wear one upon request. The owner of the Snack Shop says that above all, she “wants to make all customers and staff feel safe.”
Some businesses will be hanging up the masks and leaving it up to the customer, including Joey’s Restaurant, Mel’s Tearoom, the Black Duck Café, Sackville Cab, Cattail Ridge, and Dave’s Rock Emporium.
The Sackville Commons says that they will be following provincial guidelines, which do not include mask wearing. They will, however, continue with reduced occupancy, distancing and sanitizing.
Multiple messages have been left, but it’s likely they will make public announcements before calling us back.
A few other local businesses either weren’t sure at the time we called, or we couldn’t get a hold of them. If we missed you, report the status of your business by emailing reporting@chmafm.com.
Keep checking this page for updates.
