Here's How Ontario's New Shutdown Is Different Than The Lockdown Zone

On Thursday Premier Doug Ford announced that the Ontario government would pull the emergency brake on the entire province for a period of four weeks.

Ontario's shutdown will take effect as of Saturday, April 3, at 12:01 a.m, according to the release.

Previously, some parts of the province were already in the grey-lockdown zone, so you may be wondering what the difference is? 

Well, here's what you need to know. 

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What are the new rules within the shutdown?

Within the new shutdown, all indoor public events and social gatherings between different households will be prohibited.

Capacity for outdoor organized public events or social gatherings will be limited to a 5-person maximum. 

Indoor and outdoor dining will be paused, while take-out and delivery will be allowed to operate.

In-person shopping in all retail settings will be restricted to 25% capacity and 50% capacity for grocery stores and pharmacies.

Personal care services will be prohibited, along with indoor fitness facilities.

Weddings, funerals and religious services, rites or ceremonies will be limited to 15% occupancy per room indoors.

What's the difference between a shutdown and a lockdown in Ontario?

The grey-lockdown zone of the Ontario COVID-19 framework had slightly looser restrictions than the current shutdown.

In the grey-lockdown zone, outdoor dining and patios were permitted to open, as long as guests were of the same household.

The capacities for in-person shopping remain the same between the grey-lockdown zone and the provincewide shutdown.

In the grey-lockdown zone, personal care services were scheduled to open on April 12, 2021. This will not be the case in the provincial shutdown.

How long will the shutdown last?

The provincewide shutdown will go into effect on Saturday, April 3, at 12:01 a.m and will extend for at least four weeks, says the provincial government. 

This is much like British Columbia's "circuit-breaker" lockdown announced this week, which is meant to curb rising cases through a hard, short lockdown.