Ottawa 
Here is a list of what is open and closed in Ottawa when Ontario’s COVID-19 restrictions are in effect.
Things to Do This Weekend in Ottawa
Ontario is entering Step 3 of the Summer Reopening Plan on July 16th.
What is Open/Closed in Ottawa:
Gathering Limits
Step 3 Gathering Limits & Rules in Ontario
Starting July 16th:
- 25 people indoors
- 100 people outdoors
- Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services permitted with physical distancing.
What is Open for in-person shopping/activities:
Retail:
- All non-essential, essential retail stores and shopping malls open with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres;
Restaurants:
- Outdoor and indoor dining permitted with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of 2 metres
- No limits on the number of people per table
- Buffets permitted
Personal Services
- Open, including services that require the removal of a face covering, with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of 2 metres and other restrictions.
Attractions & Recreational Facilities:
- All museums and indoor attractions are allowed to open. – List of Tourist Attractions Open Now in Ottawa
- Public libraries are allowed to open
- Outdoor amusement parks and waterparks.
- Outdoor fairs, rural exhibitions, festivals and similar outdoor events.
- Performing arts – Indoor open at a maximum capacity of 50% or 1,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions. Outdoor open. For unseated events, spectators permitted at a maximum capacity of 75% or 5,000 people (whichever is less)
- Cinemas open – Indoor open at a maximum capacity of 50% or 1,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions.
- Tour and guide services
- Boat tours (Boat tours and cruises in Ontario)
- Personal fitness and training – Indoor fitness classes and personal training permitted, with maximum capacity of 50% and other restrictions
- Day and overnight camps for children
- Drive-in & Drive-Thru Events (In-person Events)
- Drive-In Theatres
- Overnight camping at campgrounds and campsites, including Ontario Parks (Reserve Your Visit in Advance to Popular Ontario Parks)
- Airbnb and other Short term rentals
- Hotels, motels, lodges, cabins, cottages, resorts, student residences.
- Beaches, Outdoor swimming pools, baseball diamonds, batting cages, soccer, football and sports fields, tennis, platform tennis, table tennis and pickleball courts. basketball courts, BMX parks, skate parks, frisbee golf locations, cycling tracks and bike trails, horse riding facilities, shooting ranges including those operated by rod and gun clubs
- Golf courses and driving ranges
Others:
- Financial services like banks
- Healthcare services
- Veterinary services and other businesses that provide pet services and for the health and welfare of animals, including:farms, boarding kennels, stables, animal shelters
research facilities, pet groomers, pet sitters, pet walkers, pet trainers (including for service animals) - Laundromats and drycleaners
What is closed:
- None. All allowed to open with capacity restrictions.
City of Ottawa Services
Outdoor deep-water swimming pools – June 11
Outdoor swimming pool facilities will open on June 11. The number of swimmers will be reduced for both public and lane swims and COVID-safety protocols will be in place. Reservations can be made beginning on June 10 at 6pm at ottawa.ca/recreation for a 1-hour session.
Beaches – June 19
The City’s beaches at Mooney’s Bay, Westboro, Britannia and Petrie Island will be open for supervised swimming starting Saturday, June 19.
Lifeguards will be on duty daily from noon to 7 pm until August 29. Ottawa Public Health will conduct regular water quality testing.
Beach-accessible wheelchairs will be available on a first-come first serve basis.
Parking lots for the beaches will be open. There is a fee for parking at Mooney’s Bay and Petrie Island.
Sports activities
Some sports activities can resume outdoors. These activities are limited to non-contact training such as drills with a maximum of 10 people including coach and instructors.
Wading pools – June 24
The wading pools operated by the city will open on Thursday, June 24. Wading Pool Attendants are on duty during all operating hours to provide safety supervision at the pools. Reservations can be made for 30-minute sessions on site at each wading pool location. Swimmers are only required to exit the pool following their 30-minute session, if the subsequent session is fully booked.
Indoor recreation facilities and programs
Under Step Three, Recreation and Cultural Services will restart at select locations – with a new level of restrictions and measures in place. Access to most activities will require a reservation in advance. The following activities will reopen with capacity limits:
- Indoor public and lane swims at select pools on July 16
- Indoor Aquafitness programs at select pools on July 16
- Summer Learn-to-Swim programs, starting the week of July 26 with restrictions
- Weight and cardio rooms at select facilities on July 16
- Indoor sport activities at select facilities on July 16
- Drop-in programs such as fitness classes, older adult fitness classes, and skating will start atselect facilities on July 16 with capacity limits.
Reservations for drop-in activities can be made on ottawa.ca beginning July 14 at 6 pm.
Summer Learn-to-Swim registrations started on July 12 and are ongoing.
The resumption of other recreation and cultural programming and activities – including its 2021 fall programming – will be announced in the coming weeks.
Facility rentals
Select City indoor and outdoor rental spaces will be available with capacity limits. Please contact the facility directly for rental information.
- Halls
- Rooms
- Meeting spaces
- Pool
- Sports fields
- Rental space for team sports
Arena and slab bookings are once again available for rentals. Please email sports@ottawa.ca(link sends e-mail) for more details.
Cultural facilities and programs
Cultural facilities will gradually start to reopen over the next few weeks. While museums are open for outdoor activities, indoor self-guided tours with capacity limits will begin for the season over the next week. City-run galleries will begin to reopen on July 22, with restrictions and capacity limits in place.
More information will be announced in the coming weeks and months for all instructional programming and performing arts – including:
- Virtual courses from the Nepean Creative Centre, Nepean Visual Arts Centre and Shenkman Arts Centre.
- Live performances at Meridian Theatres @Centrepointe and Shenkman Arts Centre, with limited audience capacity. Details on shows, dates and COVID-related measures will be announced at a later date.
Counter services
Service Ottawa – Client Service Centres and Building Code Services
Service Ottawa will continue to deliver in-person offerings – by appointment only – at its two currently open Client Services Centres.
- Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West
- Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive
Stay tuned in the coming months for reopening announcements for the other Client Service Centre locations.
Visit ottawa.ca for the list of in-person service offerings. Residents can still take advantage of the convenience of accessing services on online.
Residents must make an appointment for in-person counter services at any Client Service Centre by using the online booking tool on ottawa.ca. Residents without internet access can reserve a time by calling 3-1-1 and choose option six for the Client Service Centre. Requests for same-day appointments will be subject to availability. A return to walk-in clients will be announced in the coming weeks.
Building Code Services counters will be open at these locations by appointment only. Building Code Services will continue to support application submissions by mail and electronically at buildingpermits@ottawa.ca(link sends e-mail)
Employment and Social Services and Rent Supplement Program Offices
- Limited counter and document drop-off services will be available at all four centres – 370 Catherine Street, Mary Pitt Centre (second floor west, 100 Constellation Drive), 2020 Walkley Road, and 2339 Ogilvie Road, weekdays from 9 am to 3 pm. For all other services, staff will provide both telephone and email support from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
- The Mary Pitt Centre location (second floor west, 100 Constellation Drive) will also be the only location for limited counter and document drop-off services for the Rent Supplement Program, which will only operating from 9 am to 3 pm on weekdays. The staff will continue to provide telephone and email support on weekdays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Business Licensing Centre
The Business Licensing Centre at 735 Industrial Avenue will continue in-person services, by appointment only:
- Business licenses (all categories)
- Pet registration
To make an appointment, email businesslicensing@ottawa.ca / permisdentreprise@ottawa.ca(link sends e-mail) or by calling 613-580-2424, extension 12735.
City Archives
The City’s Central Archives at the James K. Bartleman Centre, located at 100 Tallwood Drive, will continue to offer in-person appointments for residents wishing to visit the Reference Room, Make a reservation by emailing archives@ottawa.ca(link sends e-mail) or by phoning 613-580-2857.
Provincial Offence Act Court
Court services counters located at 100 Constellation Drive and 110 Laurier Avenue West also continue to deliver services by appointment only. No walk-ins will be accepted. Clients are reminded to visit our counters only if necessary, as many of our in-person services can be accessed online at ottawa.ca/poa.
As a result of court proceedings being heard remotely until further notice, there will be no justice of the peace at any of the locations. If you received a summons to appear in court, do not attend court in-person. Your matter will be held remotely at the date and time noted on your summons. Please refer to the conference details listed at ottawa.ca/poa.
Defendants will receive a notice of a new court date by mail to the address on file with the court (please note that changing your address with MTO/Service Ontario does not update your address with the court office). For any changes, please contact us at 613-580-2400 (TTY 613-580-2401) and press option three, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.
Ottawa Public Library Branches
Ottawa Public Library will expand in-person services, increase capacity, and reopen creative spaces starting Monday, July 26, 2021. 31 of OPL’s 33 branches are open; branches in Vernon and Fitzroy Harbour will reopen in the fall. Please consult OPL’s Hours and locations page and current branch services page for more details. Access to virtual programs, digital resources, and requests for library items can be made around the clock via the Ottawa Public Library website.
OC Transpo Service Centre – Rideau Centre
The OC Transpo Service Centre at the Rideau Centre will be open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm, starting July 20. Customers can book appointments at 613-560-5000. Visit octranspo.com for more information.
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