The Ontario government has announced communities in the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph public health unit region will be moving down the COVID-19 response framework of restrictions to the orange restrict level.
According to an update issued by the government Friday afternoon, the change in restrictions comes into effect at 12:01 a.m. on March 22.
Guelph was at the higher red control level of restrictions.
Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, urged caution even though restrictions are easing, citing concerns about variant spread.
“While some regions are proceeding to levels with less restrictive measures and adjustments are being made to dining capacity, everyone must continue to adhere to all public health and workplace safety measures,” he said in a statement.
“We have entered the third wave of the pandemic and the rates of variants of concern continue to rise so it is important that people remain cautious and vigilant in order to minimize the transmission of COVID-19 and protect themselves and their communities.”
Here’s what you can and can’t do under Ontario’s orange restrict level of restrictions:
Cannabis stores
Cannabis stores can be open.
Casinos, bingo halls, gaming
Casinos, bingo halls and gaming facilities can operate with a cap of 50 people at each facility so long as physical distancing can be maintained. However, table games aren’t allowed.
Liquor can only be sold and served between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. and consumption of alcohol is banned between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m.
Face coverings must be worn except when eating and drinking.
Facilities will be required to record contact information.
Cinemas, movie theatres, performing arts facilities
Venues have a capacity limit of 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors, so long as physical distancing can be maintained.
Liquor can only be sold and served between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. and consumption of alcohol is banned between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m.
Face coverings must be worn except when eating and drinking.
Facilities will be required to record contact information.
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For performing arts facilities, performers and employees must be two metres apart with an exception for performances. Singers and musicians playing brass and wind instruments must be separated by impermeable barriers.
Meeting and event spaces
Venues can operate with caps of 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors so long as physical distancing can be maintained.
For events such as weddings, funerals and other religious services at these types of facilities, the maximum number of people allowed is 30 per cent of the approved indoor capacity and 100 people outdoors.
The facilities must be closed between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Liquor can only be sold and served between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
A maximum of four people can be seated together.
Face coverings must be worn except when eating and drinking.
Music must be kept to as close to a normal conversation level as possible.
Contact information must be collected and screening is required.
Personal care services
Oxygen bars, steam rooms, saunas, bathhouses and other “adult venues” must be closed. Sensory deprivation pods also are largely banned with limited exceptions.
If a service requires removal of face coverings, it won’t be allowed.
Contact information must be collected and screening is required.
Restaurants, bars, cafes
For indoor dining, establishments can operate with a cap of 50 per cent of the approved capacity up to 100 people so long as physical distancing can be maintained and screening of customers is conducted.
Outdoor dining, takeout, delivery and drive-through businesses can operate.
Buffet-style restaurants aren’t allowed to open.
For people who want to line up outside to get inside, they must wear face coverings and stay two metres apart.
Indoor dining tables are limited to those from the same household with exemptions for people who live alone and caregivers can join with another household for dining. A maximum of four people can be seated together.
The facilities must be closed between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Liquor can only be sold and served between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Face coverings must be worn except when eating and drinking. Employees must wear personal protective equipment and eye protection if they’re coming within customers who don’t have face coverings.
Music must be kept to as close to a normal conversation level as possible. Dancing, singing, live music and karaoke (not in a private room) is allowed.
Night clubs and strip clubs can only operate as restaurants and bars.
Schools and post-secondary institutions
Schools, daycare facilities and post-secondary institutions will be allowed to remain open in accordance with previous reopening plans and adherence to evolving public health guidelines.
Shopping and retail
In-person shopping can occur so long as there are safety plans, screening information and capacity limits need to be posted in a visible location.
Fitting rooms will need to be reduced so people are not changing in adjacent stalls.
Music must be reduced to a normal conversation level “if possible.”
Customers will need to maintain a two-metre distance and wearing face coverings in accordance with the existing regulations.
For people who want to line up outside to get inside, they must wear face coverings and stay two metres apart.
Curbside pick-up and delivery will continue to be allowed.
Social gatherings, religious services, weddings, funerals
Private social gatherings held at homes are limited to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
Organized public events and social gatherings are capped at 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors, so long as physical distancing is maintained.
For religious services, ceremonies and weddings, there will be an indoor cap of 30 per cent of the approved capacity and 100 people outdoors. Physical distancing must be adhered to.
Sports, recreation and fitness fitness
Two metres of physical distance must be kept at all times. The spacing must be increased to three metres in weight training and exercise equipment areas as well as during exercise and fitness classes.
Factoring in physical distancing, there is a cap of 50 people in indoor areas with weight and exercise equipment and during indoor classes. For indoor classes, those must occur in a separate room and be capped at 10 people. For outside classes, there’s a cap of 100 people but each individual class must have no more than 25 people.
No spectators are allowed except for parents or guardians of participants under the age of 18.
Team sports, games and scrimmage need to be modified to have no contact. Leagues are capped at 50 people.
There are exemptions for high-performance athletes and for parasports.
For people visiting facilities, their visits must be capped at 90 minutes except if engaging in a sport. Face coverings must be worn except while exercising or playing sports.
Music must be lowered to regular conversation levels to prevent shouting.
Contact information of everyone attending a facility is required as are reservations (if there’s a team only one reservation is needed). Screening of participants will need to be done and associated safety plans must be posted in a visible location.
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