Toronto city apologises to Sikh body for 'no-beard' policy

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Bathinda, July 6

The city of Toronto has issued a formal apology to the World Sikh Organization over its “no-beard” policy that had led to a furore among the Sikh community in Canada. In its new directive, the city said it would permit “under-mask beard covers” in order to accommodate any individual for whom maintaining a beard was a tenet of the faith.

Addressing its security service providers, the city said it expected that they appropriately accommodate any Sikh security guards who have requested religious exemptions and reinstate any employee whose employment was terminated. The city said it won’t accept any contractors failing to accommodate religious freedoms.

The city had been investigating a complaint from the World Sikh Organization of Canada that some security service providers were not accommodating employees who maintained facial hair for religious reasons. The city will now permit “under-mask beard covers” for individuals who maintain facial hair.