This is when Ontario will lift its remaining COVID-19 restrictions
The Ontario government has unveiled its timeline for lifting all remaining COVID-19 restrictions and policies. The move comes two years into a pandemic that has resulted in the death of more than 12,000 Ontarians and has dramatically upended life in the province.
Here are the highlights:
March 14 – Mandatory vaccination policies end
- The mandatory vaccination policy for employees in long-term care homes is lifted.
- A directive requiring that unvaccinated workers in hospitals and other high-risk healthcare settings partake in a regular rapid testing program is lifted.
- Letters of instruction to the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and the Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility are revoked. This will mean that those sectors will no longer be required to have vaccination policies that, at a minimum, require unvaccinated workers to partake in an educational course on the benefits of vaccination.
March 21 – Most mask requirements lifted
- Masking requirements will be removed in most settings, except public transit, long-term care and retirement homes, health-care settings, congregate care settings, shelters and jails.
- Remaining measures in schools, including cohorting ands on-site symptom screening, are removed.
- Remaining regulatory requirements for businesses are removed, including passive screening and the need to have a COVID-19 safety plan.
March 28 – Reopening Ontario Act expires
- The Reopening Ontario Act expires but the remaining orders associated with the act are extended for 30 days
April 27 – All remaining mask requirements are lifted
- Mask requirements are removed in all remaining settings
- All remaining orders under the Reopening Ontario Act expire
- Remaining health-care directives are lifted, including one legally requiring that health-care workers interacting with suspected COVID-19 patients wear a well-fitted N95 mask. The Ministry of Health will, however, still direct health-care workers to wear personal protective equipment, likely still including N95 masks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.7029443.1725744633!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Police release video of Toronto plaza shooting that killed university student
A university student from Brampton was killed when two shooters fired indiscriminately into a crowded plaza in Toronto last month in what police say was a 'cowardly act.'
BREAKING Numerous people shot in Kentucky near Interstate 75, officials say
Several people have been shot near Interstate 75 in Laurel County, Kentucky, according to the Laurel County Sheriff’s office.
The iPhone is getting a 'glow' up. What to expect from Apple's Monday event
Apple excited fans with its vision for its 'Apple Intelligence' artificial intelligence system earlier this year. Now, it's time for the company to prove it really works.
No more porta-potties at B.C. construction sites starting Oct. 1
What some B.C. construction workers describe as the worst aspect of their jobs will be coming to an end next month, the province announced.
'Hopeless and helpless': Regina mother seeks help to treat rare spinal disease
Mary Grace Rico is seeking help in getting treatment for a rare spinal condition.
'Extremely vigorous' wildfire activity in central B.C. prompts crews to back off for safety
The wildfire fight in central B.C. intensified Friday, according to officials.
Trump campaigns in Wisconsin just days ahead of debate with Harris
With just days to go before his first — and likely only — debate against U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris, former U.S. president Donald Trump leaned into his familiar grievances about everything from his indictments to the border as he campaigned in one of the most deeply Republican swaths of battleground Wisconsin.
They were due to leave for their dream cruise in May. Three months on they’re still stuck at the departure port
It was the years-long cruise that was supposed to set sail, but saw its departure postponed… postponed… and postponed again.