Ontario Enacts Provincial Emergency and Stay-at-Home Order

Read the full media release here.

Read the Ontario Emergency Brake lock down measures for all businesses here but note it is still being updated to reflect the most recent changes.

In a nutshell:
  • The majority of non-essential retailers must only operate for curbside pick-up and delivery between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., with delivery of goods to patrons permitted between 6:00 am and 9:00 pm, and other restrictions. Restricting discount and big box stores in-person retail sales to essential items.
  • Schools and child care will remain open for in-person care and learning in public health regions where it is permitted.
  • People living in regions with the highest rates of transmission will be prioritized to receive a vaccine, starting with the most at-risk in the Peel and Toronto public health regions.
  • The Stay-At-Home Order is in response to rising ICU rates and the rapid increase of COVID-19 variants.

Don't forget, the deadline for the The Ontario Small Business Support Grant deadline is TODAY. This was designed for businesses impacted by shutdown, and a 'double up' was announced with the provincial budget last month, meaning, all eligible businesses will receive a second, equal, payment, with no action needed by them. If you have not yet applied for the first payment, I urge you to take a look at the eligibility and apply if you are able to.

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Effective Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 12:01 a.m., and effective for 4 weeks, the government is issuing a province-wide Stay-at-Home order requiring everyone to remain at home except for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services (including getting vaccinated), for outdoor exercise , or for work that cannot be done remotely.

In addition to the closure of most businesses, the stay-at-home order makes it illegal to leave a place of residence, except for essential reasons such as work, school, trips to a grocery store or pharmacy and for health-care reasons.

The province is also strengthening public health and workplace safety measures for non-essential retail under the provincewide emergency brake. Measures include, but are not limited to:

  • Limiting the majority of non-essential retailers to only operate for curbside pick-up and delivery, via appointment, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., with delivery of goods to patrons permitted between 6:00 am and 9:00 pm
  • Restricting access to shopping malls to limited specified purposes, including access for curbside pick-up and delivery, via appointment
  • Restricting discount and big box stores in-person retail sales to grocery items, pet care supplies, household cleaning supplies, pharmaceutical items, health care items, and personal care items only;
  • Permitting the following stores to operate for in-person retail by appointment only and subject to a 25 per cent capacity limit and restricting allowable hours of operation to between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. with the delivery of goods to patrons permitted between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.:
  • Safety supply stores;
  • Businesses that primarily sell, rent or repair assistive devices, aids or supplies, mobility devices, aids or supplies or medical devices, aids or supplies;
  • Rental and leasing services including automobile, commercial and light industrial machinery and equipment rental;
  • Optical stores that sell prescription eyewear to the public;
  • Businesses that sell motor vehicles, boats and other watercraft;
  • Vehicle and equipment repair and essential maintenance and vehicle and equipment rental services; and
  • Retail stores operated by a telecommunications provider or service, which may only permit members of the public to enter the premises to purchase a cellphone or for repairs or technical support.
  • Permitting outdoor garden centres and plant nurseries, and indoor greenhouses that engage in sales to the public, to operate with a 25 per cent capacity limit and a restriction on hours of operation to between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.