More Ontario mask requirements to lift on June 11
Ontario’s top doctor has announced that most remaining COVID-19 mask mandates in the province will lift this weekend.
“With high vaccination rates and Ontario’s COVID-19 situation continuing to improve, most of the province’s remaining provincial masking requirements, including on public transit, will expire as of 12:00 a.m. on June 11, 2022,” Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said in a statement issued Wednesday.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The order was set to expire June 11, after it was extended in April. However, the Ministry of Health told CTV News Toronto earlier this week that Dr. Moore was reviewing and monitoring key indicators across the province before committing to the date.
Masks will continue to be required in long-term care and retirement homes.
Ontarians have been mostly mask free since March 21, when the requirement was lifted in public places like restaurants, gyms, and movie theatres.
Hospitalizations and case positivity rates did increase in the weeks that followed that decision – which the Ontario government said at the time was expected.
Since then, those COVID-19 metrics have significantly improved and ICU admissions related to the virus have reached a level unseen since last August.
Remaining mask directives at hospitals and other health-care spaces will also end on June 11. Those directives will be replaced by guidance issued by the health ministry for workers in those settings.
However, a number of major hospitals in Toronto have said they will keep their mandatory masking policies in place following the news.
The University Health Network (UHN), The Hospital for Sick Children, and Humber River Hospital all told CP24 that their masking requirements continue to be necessary as they care for their respective vulnerable patient populations.
Representatives for North York General Hospital and Sunnybrook Hospital also told CP24 they plan to keep their mask requirements.
Private businesses are free to implement their own masking policies in the absence of a provincewide mandate and individuals can continue to wear a mask if they so choose, the Ministry of Health said. The Ministry said it still recommends wearing a mask in higher-risk settings like shelters and group homes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The root cause': Canada outlines national action plan to fight auto theft
The federal government is launching what it calls its 'national action plan' to combat auto thefts, which will include stronger penalties for thieves, and increased information sharing between police agencies, government officials and border enforcement.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
The world's best airline is paying staff a bonus of 8 months' salary
Singapore Airlines will reward its employees with a bonus worth nearly eight months of salary, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.
Prosecution rests in Donald Trump’s hush money case. The defence now gets its turn to call witnesses
Michael Cohen testified Monday that he stole tens of thousands of dollars from his ex-boss Donald Trump’s company, an admission defence lawyers hope to use to undermine Cohen’s credibility.
Red Lobster probes 'endless shrimp' losses after bankruptcy filing
U.S.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Florida court after securing $100 million in financing commitments from its existing lenders, the company said on Sunday.
'Next man up': Canucks coach, teammates bracing for Game 7 without Brock Boeser
Questions about how the team is going to handle the absence of star winger Brock Boeser from a do-or-die game seven dominated pre-game interviews with the Vancouver Canucks coach and players Monday morning.
Katy Perry sings goodbye to 'American Idol'
Katy Perry said her goodbyes on 'American Idol' after seven seasons. On Sunday night’s live 'idol' season finale, a medley of Perry's hit songs were performed, including 'Teenage Dream,' 'Dark Horse' and 'California Gurls.'
U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal from former Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by a Canadian-born former Guantanamo detainee who was seeking to wipe away his war crimes convictions, including for killing a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan.
Woman, 35, in critical condition after her truck collided with a Via Rail train near Montreal
A 35-year-old woman is in critical condition after the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a Via Rail passenger train Monday morning in Quebec's Monteregie region.