Toronto 
Ontario has announced that the province is moving to Modified Step 2 of the Roadmap to Reopen effective January 5, 2022, to combat the rising number of hospitalizations in the province due to the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
**New: Ontario’s Phased Approach Time in Reopening: List of Restrictions Easing Effective January 31, 2022**
Today, the province reported 16,713 new cases. Though experts suggest milder infections than those caused by the delta variant, the high number of people infected due to the high transmissibility of the virus is putting a strain on the province’s hospitals.
Currently, the number of people in hospitals stands at 1,144 with 205 in ICUs due to COVID‑related illness.
Premier Doug Ford today citing experts stated that 1 per cent of those getting infected by Omicron will get hospitalized.
As part of moving to Modified Step 2, all indoor entertainment venues and attractions like museums and gyms will be closed, indoor dining will be suspended and indoor gatherings will be limited to five people or fewer.
List of Restrictions in Modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen
The province will return to the modified version of Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen effective Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at 12:01 a.m.until January 30th, 2022, subject to trends in public health and health system indicators.
Schools:
- All publicly funded and private schools will move to remote learning starting January 5 until at least January 17, subject to public health trends and operational considerations.
- School buildings would be permitted to open for child care operations, including emergency child care, to provide in-person instruction for students with special education needs who cannot be accommodated remotely and for staff who are unable to deliver quality instruction from home.
- During this period of remote learning, free emergency child care will be provided for school-aged children of health care and other eligible frontline workers.
Gatherings and events:
Social gatherings:
Social gatherings are permitted under the following conditions:
- indoor gatherings limited to five people or fewer
- outdoor gatherings limited to 10 people or fewer
- Limited exceptions apply (e.g. if gathering is members of a single household, one other person from another household who lives alone, caregivers, and gatherings in retirement homes)
Organized public events:
Organized public events are permitted under the following conditions:
- indoor events limited to five people or fewer
- outdoor events have no limits on number of attendees, but face coverings and/or masks must be worn when distancing (two metres or more) cannot be maintained
- An indoor and outdoor gathering or event cannot be combined to increase the number of people permitted
Weddings, funerals, religious services, rites and ceremonies:
Weddings, funerals, religious services, rites and ceremonies are permitted under the following conditions:
- indoor services are limited to 50 per cent of the capacity of the room
- outdoor services are limited to the number of people who can maintain two metres distance
- drive-in (motor vehicle) services permitted
- social gatherings associated with these services must adhere to the social gathering limits
Restrictions for businesses:
Retail:
All retail must operate under the following conditions:
- 50 per cent capacity
- music played is not above a decibel level where normal conversation is possible
- active screening at photography studios and services
- safety measures for vehicle test drives sales, such as a maximum of 10 minutes for a test drive, a maximum of two people in a vehicle, including one sales representative, windows must be rolled down, active screening, masking, etc.
- safety measures for shopping malls, including capacity limits, no loitering, distancing in line ups, food courts closed and active screening.
Malls:
- Open
- No loitering
- Seating in food courts and other interior dining areas closed
- Volume of music must be limited to permit a normal conversation
- The number of members of the public in the shopping mall at any one time must not exceed the total capacity determined by taking the sum of the capacities of every business in the mall.
- Individuals must be actively screened Requirements for lining up or congregating indoors and outdoors Specific requirements for test driving of vehicles in retail (including limits on numbers in vehicle, length of test drive to 10 mins.)
Photography studios and services:
- Open
- Indoor capacity limited to 50%; maximum capacity must be posted
- Patrons must be actively screened
Personal care services:
- Open with 50% capacity; maximum capacity must be posted
- No services that requires the removal of a mask or face covering
- Appointments are required to enter the premises
- Volume of music must be limited to permit a normal conversation
- Steam room, saunas and oxygen bars closed
- Businesses must record the name and contact information of every member of the public and actively screen individuals
- People who provide personal care services in the business must wear appropriate personal protective equipment
Meeting and event spaces:
Includes outdoor wedding receptions at meeting and event spaces
- Indoor closed with the following exceptions:
- Child careo Social services
- Collective bargaining (10 people maximum)
- Court serviceso Government operations
- Health sector operations and services, including immunization clinics
- Mental health support services or addictions support services (10 people maximum)
- Examinations for professions identified in subsection 2(2) of Schedule 8 in O. Reg 82/20 (50 students maximum)
- Entering indoor area by appointment for a prospective rental
- Outdoor open; maximum capacity must be posted
- Maximum 10 patrons per table, with limited exceptions (e.g. all members of the same household)
- Patrons must be seated at all times, with limited exceptions (e.g. washrooms)
- Businesses must record the name and contact information of every member of the public and actively screen individuals
- No patron dancing or singing
- Liquor sold or served only from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; no consumption of liquor from 11 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Proof of vaccination requirements in effect in outdoor meeting and event spaces that have a usual capacity of 20,000 or more persons, with limited exceptions.
Restaurants, bars, food trucks, concession stands and other food or drink establishments:
- Open only for outdoor dining, take-out, drive through, and delivery
- Maximum capacity must be posted
- Maximum 10 patrons per table, with limited exceptions (e.g. all members of the same household)
- Dine-in patrons must be seated at all times, with limited exceptions (e.g. using the washroom, paying)
- Open only from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. (take-out, drive-through or delivery permitted at any time)
- Businesses must record the name and contact information of every dine-in patron and actively screen dine-in patrons, with limited exceptions (e.g. quick service restaurants)
- Outdoor dining area must have at least two full sides, or one full side and the roof, open to the outdoors and unobstructed
- No patron dancing or singing
- Liquor sold or served only from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; no consumption of liquor from 11 p.m. to 9 a.m.
Nightclubs, and other food or drink establishments with dance facilities:
- Permitted to open solely as food or drink establishments under the same conditions
Strip clubs:
- Permitted to open solely as food or drink establishments under the same conditions
Bathhouses and sex clubs:
- Closed
Public libraries:
- Open at 50% capacity, with limited exceptions (e.g. child care, social services)
Indoor concert venues, theatres and cinemas:
- Open for rehearsing or performing a recorded or broadcasted performance only
- No spectators permitted
- Physical distancing of two metres required except if it is necessary for the purposes of the performance or rehearsal for performers or workers to be closer to each other
- Businesses must record the name and contact information of every performer and worker
Outdoor concert venues, theatres and cinemas:
- Indoor use not permitted, with limited exceptions (e.g., washrooms, purchase admission, retail or for health and safety)
- Capacity limited to 50% of the usual outdoor seating capacity for a seated concert, event, performance or movie; maximum capacity must be posted
- Spectators must be seated at all times while watching the concert, event, performance or film
- Reservations required to attend a seated concert, event, performance or movie
- Spectators must wear a mask, with limited exceptions, unless seated only with members of their household and two metres away from every other person.
- Must have a safety plan with additional requirements
- Proof of vaccination requirements in effect in outdoor concert venues, theatres and cinemas that have a usual capacity of 20,000 or more persons, with limited exceptions.
Zoos, Museums etc:
Zoos, landmarks,historic sites, botanical gardens, science centres, museums, galleries, aquariums, and similar attractions
- Indoor use not permitted, with limited exceptions (e.g., washrooms, retail, purchase admission or for health and safety)
- Outdoor open; maximum capacity must be posted
- Capacity limited to 50% for outdoor seated events or activities within the attraction; maximum capacity of the event or activity must be posted
- Reservations required for outdoor seated events or activities
- Face coverings required on amusement rides or tour vehicles, with limited exceptions
- Must have a safety plan with additional requirements
- Concerts, events, performances or movies must follow same requirements for concert venues, theatres and cinemas
Outdoor drive in and drive-through events:
- Patrons must remain in their vehicles, with limited exceptions (e.g., purchase admission, use of washrooms, health or safety)
- Vehicles must be positioned two metres apart
Fairs, rural exhibitions and festivals:
- Open outdoors only
- Capacity limited to 50% of the usual seating capacity for a seated event or activity; maximum capacity of the event or activity must be posted
- Reservations required to attend a seated event or activity
- Indoor access not permitted, with limited exceptions and conditions (e.g. washrooms, retailsales, purchase admission, health and safety)
- Face coverings required on amusement rides, other than a water ride, with limited exceptions
- Must have a safety plan with additional requirements
- Concerts, events, performances or movies must follow same requirements for concert venues, theatres and cinemas
Amusement parks and water parks:
- Open outdoors only; maximum capacity must be posted
- Capacity limited to 50% of the usual seating capacity for a seated event or activity; maximum capacity for event or activity must be posted
- Reservations required to attend a seated event or activity
- Indoor access not permitted, with limited exceptions and conditions (e.g. washrooms, retail sales, purchase admission, health and safety)
- Face coverings required on amusement rides, other than a water ride, with limited exceptions
- Must have a safety plan with additional requirements
- Concerts, events, performances or movies must follow requirements for concert venues, theatres and cinemas
Tour and guide services:
- Open outdoors only
- The number of patrons on a tour must be limited to the number that can maintain a physical distance of 2 metres; every person must maintain physical distancing of 2 metres, with limited exceptions
- Persons on the tour must remain outdoors at all time with limited exceptions (e.g. washrooms, retail sales, purchase admission, health and safety)
- Businesses must record the name and contact information of every member of the public and actively screen individuals
- No tours in motor vehicles that are designed to be closed to the elements
Boat tours:
- Open outdoors only
- 50% capacity; maximum capacity must be posted
- Reservations required
- Businesses must record the name and contact information of every member of the public and actively screen individuals
- Indoors not permitted, with limited exceptions (e.g., washrooms, retail, purchase admission or for healt and safety)
- Limited to tours that embark and disembark within Ontario and are not otherwise prohibited to operate
Indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities:
- Open only for the following purposes:
- For the use of persons who are athletes, coaches or officials training or competing to be a part of Team Canada at the next summer or winter Olympic Games or Paralympicgames, as specified in O. Reg 263/30, Section 19 (2) of Schedule 2.
- Child care, Mental health support services or addictions support services (10 people maximum), social services For persons with a disability, under certain conditions specified in O. Reg 263/20, Section 19(4) of Schedule 2
- Select Ontario professional and elite-amateur sport leagues identified in O. Reg 263/20 permitted if they comply with a return-to-play framework approved by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
Outdoor sports and recreational fitness facilities:
- Open
- Spectators limited to 50% capacity (or 50% of usual seating capacity)
- Spectators must wear a mask, with limited exceptions, unless seated only with members of their household and two metres away from every other person.
- Facilities and leagues must have a safety plan with additional requirements
- Business must record the name and contact information of every member of the public and actively screen individuals
- Proof of vaccination requirements in effect indoors for sport and recreational fitness facilities and also outdoor areas where spectators watch events that have a usual capacity of 20,000 or more persons, with limited exceptions.
Recreational amenities:
- Indoor closed
- Outdoor open
- Clubhouses open only for limited purposes, including access to a change room, shower room or washroom, equipment storage, or first aid
- Steam rooms and saunas closed
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Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments:
- Closed
Personal physical fitness and sports trainers:
- Open for outdoors only
- Must have a safety plan with additional requirements
- The personal trainer or sports trainer must record the name and contact information of every member of the public they provide services to and actively screen individuals
Community centres and multi-purpose facilities:
- 50% capacity, with limited exceptions (e.g. child care, social services)
- Any sports and recreational fitness activities must be in compliance with requirements for sports and recreational fitness facilities
Horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues:
- Outdoor open
- Capacity limited to 50% of the usual seating capacity for a seated event or activity; maximum capacity must be posted
- Reservations required
- Indoor use not permitted, with limited exceptions and conditions (e.g. washrooms, purchase admission, to place a bet or pick up winnings, retail, health and safety)
- Spectators must wear a mask, with limited exceptions, unless seated only with members of their household and two metres away from every other person.
- Must have a safety plan with additional requirements
- Proof of vaccination requirements in effect in outdoor racing tracks that have a usual capacity of 20,000 or more persons, with limited exceptions
Commercial film and TV production:
- Open
- No studio audiences
- Additional restrictions, including operating in accordance with the guidance document titled “Film and television industry health and safety during COVID-19”
Camps:
Day camps and overnight camps for children closed
Short-term rentals:
- Open only if provided to individuals who are in need of housing (does not apply to hotels, motels, lodges, resorts, student residences and other shared rental accommodation, but does apply with respect to cabins and cottages)
- Indoor pools, communal steam rooms, saunas or indoor whirlpools, indoor fitness centres, or other indoor recreational facilities must be closed
- Rental of ice fishing huts permitted if only used by members of the same household and not used overnight or if the person is renting for the purpose of exercising Aboriginal or treaty rights
Hotels, motels, lodges, cabins, cottages, resorts and other shared rental accommodation
- open
- Restaurants within the hotel or motel may offer takeout or delivery only
- Indoor pools, communal steam rooms, saunas or indoor whirlpools, indoor fitness centres, or other indoor recreational facilities must be closed
Campgrounds:
- Open
- Indoor pools, communal steam rooms, saunas or indoor whirlpools, meeting rooms, indoor fitness centres or other indoor recreational facilities must be closed, with limited exceptions (e.g., use of washrooms, for first aid)
- Restaurants permitted to provide take-out, delivery and outdoor dining subject to the conditions for bars and restaurants (see “Restaurants and bars”)
Marinas and boating clubs:
- Open
- Clubhouses, indoor pools, communal steam rooms, saunas or indoor whirlpools, meeting rooms, indoor fitness centres or other indoor recreational facilities must be closed, with limited exceptions (e.g. washrooms, first aid)
- Restaurants permitted to provide take-out, delivery and outdoor dining subject to the conditions for bars and restaurants (see “Restaurants and bars”)
Driving instruction
- Open if only providing instruction to drivers of commercial vehicles with the conditions specified in O. Reg 263/20, Section 18 of Schedule 2
Teaching and instruction:
- Open outdoors only, with the exception of those primarily engaged in the provision of health and safety training
- Every person must maintain physical distancing of 2 metres, with limited exceptions
- The number of students in an instructional space must be limited to the number that can maintain a physical distance of 2 metres
- Business must record the name and contact information of every student who attends the in-person teaching and instruction and actively screen students
- Anyone singing or playing a wind or brass instrument must maintain 3 metres physical distancing or have a barrier
Health and safety training:
- Every person must maintain physical distancing of 2 metres, with limited exceptions
- The number of students in an instructional space must be limited to the number that can maintain a physical distance of 2 metres and in any event must not exceed 50% of capacity
- Business must record the name and contact information of every student who attends the in-person teaching and instruction and actively screen students
Real Estate:
Real estate agencies must operate under the following conditions:
- property viewings by appointment only
- no open houses
General Compliance Requirements:
- Safety plans
- Safety plans must be prepared, posted in a conspicuous location, and made available upon request
- Some businesses, places and events have additional requirements that need to be included in their safety plan
- Live entertainment
- Performers must have 2 metres distance or barrier from the audience
- Roofs, canopies, tents, or awnings in outdoor spaces
- If a roof, canopy, tent, awning or other element is used in an outdoor area, it must have at least twofull sides, or one full side and the roof, open to the outdoors and unobstructed
- Sale, service and consumption of liquor
- Liquor sold or served only from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; no consumption of liquor from 11 p.m. to 9 a.m. Certain exceptions apply (e.g. grocery, convenience stores).
A detailed list of restrictions is listed on Ontario.ca.
“As we continue with our provincial vaccine booster efforts, we must look at every option to slow the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant,” said Premier Doug Ford announcing the move to modified step 2 which will be effective at least for at least 21 days. “Putting these targeted and time-limited measures in place will give us more opportunity to deliver vaccines to all Ontarians and ensure everyone has maximum protection against this virus.”
Fourth Dose & Third Dose Mandatory in Long-Term care Settings:
As announced on December 19th, the province has started offering fourth doses of mRNA vaccines available to residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes, Elder Care Lodges and other congregate care settings if at least three months, or 84 days, have passed since their third dose.
Ontario is also making a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for all staff, students, volunteers, caregivers and support workers of long-term care settings by January 28, 2022. Proof of a booster dose will also be required for all visitors currently eligible for a booster once the temporary pause on general visitors is lifted.
The government had previously limited social gatherings, reduced the indoor capacity of venues to 50 per cent and limited the indoor capacity of large venues to 1000.
WINTER IN ONTARIO
“Child careo Social services” I’m dying.
Need to get our Charter Of Rights back! Get back to our core values, back to a once proud country that we are now just just weak pathetic shadow of… The North was once strong… we need to get in front of this spread. Infront of the tyranny and step up and protect what’s left of our people and our beloved nation! Hold all citizens… politicians especially to the law. honest, open dealings of every one who represents our flag and the leaf we were knee knee proud of…the public has a right to know and we have a right to fight for our freedoms. Down with Trudeau and his curropt communist ways!
Welcome back to communist Canada! We lost 18 freinds and loves ones last year. Not 1 to covid. 2021 was all the shot, suicides and drug overdoses due to being locked up like animals! Our fore fathers and all the latest died to prevent this very thing!! Would be ashamed that there sacrifices and all they died to protect. The very freedoms so many sacrificed! So much! For what? It didn’t work the first time around…. and we lost 10 times as many to your lockdown and people losing there homes. There business and there minds…. for something that we loose less a day then cancer… heart failure…. car accidents…. don’t see the tyrants changing anything to combat any of those things. Tyrant, making us carry papers to leave our homes… criminals. Pirates with investments &shares in big pharm. We all know who your biggest contributors are big pharm and the companies you protect like banks and big businesses you own and also have payouts for your dirty campaigns and fixed votes. The media and government have become a disgrace to our values. Our rights & freedoms! And the base values this country was built on. It’s high time our curropt politicians be held accountable for qll the death last year and the same laws the rest of the proud, True North Strong and Free Canadians… are held accountable bye. It’s high time we treat the criminal Trudeau and his new gestapo way of life! Just like my great uncle’s And all the soldiers of WW2 did and arrests these tyrannical politicians. Put them to proper justice and get in front of the spread, the mental Heath issues being ignored! And most of all…. help those curropt criminals accountable for there mistakes and countless crimes against our great country. While getting back to our traditions, order very roots and bring back the once proud and worldy loved Canada we had growing up!
Ford and Treadeau are both cowards along with the so called government for making Canadians suffer while the welfare scammers continue to screw this country over with their addictions and expecting the country to cater to them. Screen these people properly and force them to do their jobs properly. Addicts belong in facilities that treat addictions not putting them on odsp and handing out free meds.
Omicron-moronic, sheep’s🐑🐑🐑🐑here you are, this is never ending story, more you except more they will put on you.
I am raged I’m remember Doug ford saying if 70% of the people are vaccinated we will not do a shut down. What is sad is that 80% are vaccinated not 1 but 3 times and they are the population that is getting sick. I myself went through the bird flue, SARS, Covid I haven’t taken not one needle. You no what, the people are not stupid Doug the problem we are having they believe everything they see and what they are seeing is bullshit numbers for money to go in the right pockets that is really sad. This is what I see 20 months and are numbers were down controlled no spike in October no spike in November 2021 but 3 weeks in December and bang the fake numbers 19000 cases. Why because it’s the only way for you guys to scare the people to take the booster and what a perfect time to do it in January and February before it gets warm. You can’t fool me your administration is evil. There are. So many companies going under and they have worked 10,20,30 years to get there and you shut them down what happen to your guidelines as long as you clean your hands were a mask 6 feet apart we don’t have to shut down there is no honesty in This world it’s all the dollar.
Thankfully this time there are care services available. As a diabetic person with limited sight and mobility, personal care services such as help in getting my toenails cut to me are an essential service. A podiatrist appointment can cost well over 80 dollars while a nail cutting and callus file down from a manicurist is usually less then twenty. Because I can no longer lift my arms up for long enough to wash my hair or comb it properly, having the hair dressers open for aid in shampooing and brushing out my hair will prevent me from having to cut it all off as I had to after the last lock down.
I am doubly glad of the libraries and faith centers remaining open as now I can continue to get audio books and access food assistance services.
It’s too bad about the gyms closing but my father who was an athlete as well as a trained soldier often said the best weight training device is your own body using its own weight, and the best cardio program starts with your own two feet.
I agree. I love both. But id rather go to the gym and feel healthy then get a facial or face treatment. If we don’t have our workouts, how can we stay healthy to avoid these so called viruses from the BS agendas.
Yup nothing makes sense. Ford and his group of advisers need to challenged.
No one’s believes them anymore
And all these closures that have crippled the economy and bankrupted so many families is because they haven’t given enough money for the health system.
It’s all about protecting the health system but if there was enough capacity in the system we could live and produce and be prosperous and no longer be in this perpetual lockdown
Shame on you Doug Ford and your minions
How is it that personal care services, which are really about our personal vanity, are considered essential and ok to be open but fitness services which can benefit our health and actually help our immune system, improve our lung capacity, are NOT essential and are shut down?? I get and support the necessity for distancing and proper measures, but the inconsistent applications make it difficult to support the decisions.