Ontario is starting to loosen COVID-19 restrictions.
Starting on February 17th, gathering limitations are being increased and as of March 1st, there will be no indoor limits, and the province will remove the vaccine passport system.
Premier Doug Ford says the masking requirement will remain.
“This is an important layer of protection that will allow us to proceed with our reopening plan safely,” says Ford.
“Beginning on February 17th, we will remove all capacity limits except for sporting events, concert venues, and theatres, which will be capped at 50 percent.
Ford says they will lift them all together starting next month.
“Effective March 1st, we intend to eliminate capacity limits in all indoor public settings, at the same time and at the recommendation of (Chief Medical Officer of Health) Dr. Moore, we will lift proof of vaccination requirements for all settings.”
Ford says the metrics of COVID-19 are moving in the right direction and that’s why they are loosening restrictions.
“Today’s announcement is not because of what’s happening in Ottawa or Windsor but in spite of it,” Ford said. “We’re moving forward as a province and a country, and this chaos is not going to be tolerated, I promise you that.”
Dr. Kieran Moore says because a majority of the population is now vaccinated, it’s safe to reopen these settings safely.
“92 percent of Ontarians 12 and over have received at least two doses and 6.7 million Ontarians now have their third doses, so we have the level of protection we need to lift public health measures.”
He adds that our health care system is in a much better position now and we are on the downward slope of the peak of omicron activity.
The full timeline can be read below:
| Effective February 17, 2022
Ontario will further ease public health measures, including, but not limited to:
- Increasing social gathering limits to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors
- Increasing organized public event limits to 50 people indoors, with no limit outdoors
- Removing capacity limits in the following indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is required, including but not limited to:
- Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments without dance facilities
- Non-spectator areas of sports and recreational fitness facilities, including gyms
- Cinemas
- Meeting and event spaces, including conference centres or convention centres
- Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
- Indoor areas of settings that choose to opt-in to proof of vaccination requirements.
- Allowing 50 per cent of the usual seating capacity at sports arenas
- Allowing 50 percent of the usual seating capacity for concert venues and theatres
- Increasing indoor capacity limits to 25 per cent in the remaining higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, including nightclubs, restaurants where there is dancing, as well as bathhouses and sex clubs
- Increasing capacity limits for indoor weddings, funerals or religious services, rites, or ceremonies to the number of people who can maintain two metres physical distance. Capacity limits are removed if the location opts-in to use proof of vaccination or if the service, rite, or ceremony is occurring outdoors.
Capacity limits in other indoor public settings, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, retail and shopping malls, will be maintained at, or increased to, the number of people who can maintain two metres physical distance.
In addition, as of 8:00 a.m. on Friday, February 18, 2022, Ontario is expanding booster dose eligibility to youth aged 12 to 17. Appointments can be booked through the provincial booking system and the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre, as well as at select pharmacies administering the Pfizer vaccine. Appointments will be booked for approximately six months (168 days) after a second dose. To book an appointment online, individuals must be 12 years old at the time of appointment.
Effective March 1, 2022
Ontario intends to take additional steps to ease public health measures if public health and health system indicators continue to improve. This includes lifting capacity limits in all remaining indoor public settings.
Ontario will also lift proof of vaccination requirements for all settings at this time. Businesses and other settings may choose to continue to require proof of vaccination. Masking requirements will remain in place at this time, with a specific timeline to lift this measure to be communicated at a later date.
To manage COVID-19 over the long-term, public health units can deploy local and regional responses based on local context and conditions. |
