The municipality is undertaking a new campaign to encourage eligible residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Wood Buffalo council met virtually on Tuesday where they approved allocating $100,000 to help increase first and second doses.

A request was made by Suncor Energy, other members of industry, and the non-profit ’19 to Zero.’

Around $75,000 will be taken from the operating budget surplus for efforts to make getting the vaccine easier, while the remaining $25,000 will be used for in-kind advertising on municipal assets.

As of Wednesday, just over 63 per cent of eligible residents in Fort McMurray and nearly 44 per cent in the rural areas have gotten at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, council has also voted to repeal the municipal mask bylaw.

Masks are still mandatory in all indoor public spaces until July 1 as the provincial health remains in effect until Stage 3 of ‘Open For Summer’ timeline gets underway.

This also includes on transit, places of worship, indoor workplaces, K-12 schools, and instances where individuals might come within 2 metres of people from outside their household.

Afterwards, masks will only be mandatory at continuing and acute care centres, while on the bus or using a taxi.

Speaking on Fort McMurray Matters, Mayor Don Scott says this is a sign of better days ahead.