Since earlier this month, it's been mandatory to wear face masks while indoors in Toronto. The rule applies to malls, grocery stores and a lot of other places too.

Apartment buildings and condos, including their common areas, are exempt, but this hasn't stopped some condo buildings from putting their own, stricter rules into place.

The Montage Condos at 25 Telegram Mews in CityPlace is one example.

Residents were recently informed that the condo board had "passed a resolution to make non-medical masks or face coverings mandatory in the elevators and at the security desk."

The condo is phasing in the new mask policy.

Between now and July 21 (phase 1), they will have free masks available at the security desk but by July 22 (phase 2), masks will be available for $1.

By July 29 (phase 3), masks will no longer be provided at the security desk but will still be mandatory to wear at the desk and at the elevators and "in all common areas should phase 1 and 2 go well."

"Because social distancing is difficult in small spaces like an elevator, wearing a mask is the only possible solution now in addition to allowing only two people per ride," says Han Tang, who works for the Rental Lifestyle Group in Toronto.

"Many residents will follow but there will always be people who will not follow without proper enforcement."

The CityPlace building also sent out a lengthy email to their residents explaining how the amenities will be handled — masks will not be required in the outdoor common spaces but they will limit the amount of residents at a time (at the pool, courtyard, barbecue) through a reservation system.

Montage Condos isn't the only condo building tightening up their restrictions and asking residents to wear masks.

X2 Condos, near Bloor and Jarvis, recommends its residents "wear a mask in all Common Elements and especially in elevators where there is close proximity to others," according to an email they sent out to all residents.

"We didn't want to stop people in the hallway and scold them," said Laurent Trembley from Forest Hill Kipling which manages X2. "So instead of mandating, it’s more of insisting. It continues to be a strong recommendation."

The X2 Condo board of directors has decided against the mandatory mask policy in their public enclosed spaces but highly recommends it, says Trembley.

According to Tang, many condos have implemented a mandatory mask wearing policy but condo boards are able to use their own discretion whether to have stricter policies in their buildings.