Ontario’s Provincial Emergency and Stay at Home Order Simplified
The Province of Ontario, as of midnight tonight (12:01am January 14, 2021), is in lockdown again. Northern Ontario summary below, edited from Ontario Government release, CLICK HERE for original, unedited, information.
TORONTO, ON — In response to a doubling in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks, the real and looming threat of the collapse of the province’s hospital system and alarming risks posed to long-term care homes as a result of high COVID-19 transmission rates, the Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, is immediately declaring a second provincial emergency under s 7.0.1 (1) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA).
The government’s stay-at-home order requires 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.
Additional measures also taking effect:
- Outdoor organized public gatherings and social gatherings are further restricted to a limit of five people with limited exceptions. This is consistent with the rules during the lockdown during the first wave of COVID-19 in spring 2020 and will allow individuals and families to enjoy time outdoors safely.
- 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.
The government extended the Northern Ontario shutdown to at least January 23, 2021 to align with the rest of the province (at which point the situation will be evaluated to determine if any restrictions need to be extended or lifted).
As of January 11th, 2021 Northern Ontario students were able to return to in-person learning; this remains unchanged for the time being.
NEW ENFORCEMENT MEASURES
New Enforcement Measures
Ontario Provincial Police, local police forces, bylaw officers, and provincial workplace inspectors (all provincial officers) have been provided the authority to issue tickets to individuals who do not comply with the stay-at-home-order, those not wearing a mask or face covering indoors in places open to the public, subject to limited exceptions, as well as retail operators and companies who do not enforce requirements under orders under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act (ROA) or EMPCA. Those who decide not to abide by orders will be subject to a set fine and/or prosecution under both the ROA and EMCPA as applicable.
In addition, all provincial offences officers will have the authority to temporarily close a premise and disperse individuals who are in contravention of gathering limits an order and will be able to disperse people who are gathering, regardless whether a premise has been closed or remains open such as a park.
