The Ontario government declared a provincial State of Emergencyunder the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA) on January 12, 2021.
A stay-at-home order also came into effect as of 12:01am on Thursday, January 14, requiring everyone to remain at home with exceptions for permitted purposes or activities, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services, for exercise or for work where the work cannot be done remotely. In addition to limiting outings for these purposes, all businesses must ensure that any employee who can work from home, does work from home.
Public Health Restrictions
The following additional public health measures took effect January 13, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.:
- Outdoor organized public gatherings and social gatherings are further restricted to a limit of five people with limited exceptions.
- Individuals are required to wear a mask or face covering in the indoor areas of businesses or organizations that are open. Wearing a mask or face covering is now recommended outdoors when you can't physically distance more than two metres.
- All non-essential retail stores, including hardware stores, alcohol retailers, and those offering curbside pickup or delivery, must open no earlier than 7 a.m. and close no later than 8 p.m. The restricted hours of operation do not apply to stores that primarily sell food, pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, and restaurants for takeout or delivery.
- Non-essential construction is further restricted, including below-grade construction, exempting survey.
More information on the Stay at Home Order and related public health restrictions can be found here.