TORONTO -- Starting today, all TTC employees will be required to wear a mask or face covering while on the job, including drivers working behind protective barriers, the transit agency announced this week.

In a notice published online, the TTC said as new cases of COVID-19 continue to climb in the city, additional safety measures are required to keep employees and transit riders safe.

“In Toronto, over the last several weeks, we are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, which is concerning for all of us. As the Medical Officer of Health indicated last week, it isn't a matter of if we'll see more COVID-19 activity in our city, it's a matter of when,” the notice read.

“We need to be vigilant in our actions to keep each other safe as we go to work, send our kids back to school, and spend more time inside as cooler weather arrives.”

With the exception of children under the age of two and those with certain medical conditions, masks have been mandatory for anyone riding the TTC since the beginning of July.

The policy was put in place in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Toronto has seen a significant uptick in infections in recent days, a situation that has prompted the province to look at implementing further restrictions on the size of gatherings in the city.

According to the province’s latest epidemiological summary, 77 new cases of the virus were confirmed in Toronto on Wednesday, 73 were reported on Tuesday, and 112 were recorded on Monday.

During the month of August, the city was consistently seeing fewer than 20 new cases per day.

“The TTC is introducing further protective measures for its employees in response to the increase in ridership, re-opening of schools, and the inevitable resurgence of COVID-19 infections in our community,” the transit agency said.

“Starting Thursday September 17, face coverings or masks are mandatory in all shared TTC spaces, both indoors and outdoors. This also applies to operators when they are behind the protective barrier or in the cab.”