Mayor Tory Says We’re Not Getting Our Restaurants And Gyms Back This Weekend After All

Mayor John Tory announced Tuesday afternoon that we’re not going to be able to eat in restaurants for at least another 28 days and that Toronto would be implementing several stronger restrictions in the face of rising COVID-19 cases.

Toronto enters the red zone of COVID-19 restrictions on Saturday, November 14 — called "control (stringent measures)" under the new provincial guidelines — which would have allowed for activities like going to the gym and dining indoors in limited numbers.*

However, as Toronto deals with record-breaking COVID-19 cases, Tory announced in a press conference on November 10 that the city would be placing their own, stricter restrictions on top of the red zone.

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COVID-19 is out there at levels we have not seen before. Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto's Medical Officer of Health

These new restrictions will be enforced for at least 28 days, and mean that Torontonians will not be able to dine indoors, work out in indoor group fitness, nor visit casinos or other gaming establishments.

Toronto’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Eileen de Villa also made “strong recommendations” that all social gatherings be restricted to only household members or essential support staff.

Both Tory and de Villa acknowledged the impacts on businesses and Torontonians, but said Toronto could be at risk of a full shutdown if they did anything less.

“Through these actions we're taking here today, we're doing our part as government,” Dr. de Villa said, “and I simply ask for people of Toronto to do their part as well.”

* This article has been updated.