Full list of Ontario COVID-19 restrictions for starting Jan. 5
The Ontario government announced more COVID-19 restrictions on Monday due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, saying the province will return to a modified Step 2 of the reopening plan.
Premier Doug Ford announced the new measures during a news conference as hospitalizations due to COVID-19 and case counts increased across the province.
CTV News Toronto has compiled a list of all the new restrictions, which will come into effect on Wednesday, Jan. 5.
GATHERING LIMITS SLASHED
- Social gathering limits will be reduced to five people indoors and 10 people outdoors.
- Capacity will be limited at organized public events to five people indoors.
- Businesses and organizations will need to ensure employees work remotely unless the nature of their work requires them to be on-site.
REDUCED CAPACITY LIMITS
- Capacity at indoor weddings, funerals, and religious services, rites and ceremonies will be limited to 50 per cent capacity of a particular room. Outdoor services are limited to the number of people that can maintain two metres of physical distance.Social gatherings associated with these services must adhere to the social gathering limits.
- Retail settings, including shopping malls, will be permitted at 50 per cent capacity. For shopping malls, physical distancing will be required in line-ups and food courts will be required to close.
- Personal care services will be permitted to operate at 50 per cent capacity. Saunas, steam rooms, and oxygen bars will be closed.
- Public libraries limited to 50 per cent capacity.
CLOSURES
- Indoor meeting and event spaces are required to close with limited exceptions, but outdoor spaces can remain open with restrictions.
- Indoor dining at restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments will no longer be permited. Outdoor dining with restrictions, takeout, drive through and delivery is permitted.
- Indoor concert venues, theatres and cinemas will be closed, but rehearsals and recorded performances are permitted with restrictions.
- Museums, galleries, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions, amusement parks and waterparks, tour and guide services and fairs, rural exhibitions, and festivals will all close. Outdoor establishments will be permitted to open with restrictions and with spectator occupancy, where applicable, limited to 50 per cent capacity.
- Indoor horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues will close. Outdoor establishments will be permitted to open with restrictions and with spectator occupancy limited to 50 per cent capacity. Boat tours will be permitted at 50 per cent capacity.
- Indoor sport and recreational fitness facilities, including gyms, will be closed, except for athletes training for the Olympics and Paralympics and select professional and elite amateur sport leagues. Outdoor facilities will be permitted to operate but with the number of spectators not to exceed 50 per cent occupancy and other requirements.
SCHOOL CLOSURES
- All publicly funded and private schools will move to remote learning starting January 5 until at least January 17, subject to public health trends and operational considerations.
- School buildings would be permitted to open for child care operations and to provide in-person instruction for students with special education needs who cannot be accommodated remotely.
SURGERIES
- On Jan. 5, the Chief Medical Officer of Health will reinstate Directive 2 for hospitals and regulated health professionals, instructing hospitals to pause all non-emergent and non-urgent surgeries and procedures in order to "preserve critical care and human resource capacity."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
DEVELOPING Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar
Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would send a delegation to negotiate – though it warned the proposal remained far from the 'necessary requirements.'
An American soldier was arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, U.S. officials say
An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to U.S. officials. The soldier was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States, but travelled to Russia.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Competition Bureau launches inquiry into Lululemon over 'greenwashing' allegations
Canada's Competition Bureau has launched an inquiry into Vancouver-based Lululemon following a complaint from members of an environmental group.
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to quash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc tabled legislation in the House of Commons on Monday proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Bill C-70 proposes to enact a new 'Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act.'