Ontario's Capacity Limits Are Shrinking Even More In Some Spots Along With New Rules
Malls, grocery stores and restaurants will be affected!
Ontario is tightening up restrictions to limit the number of people flocking to malls, restaurants, and even grocery stores starting this weekend.
On Friday, the provincial government announced that Ontario's capacity limits would face significant cuts at various high-traffic locations, with new rules for families hoping to gather this Christmas as well.
"This was not an easy decision to make before the holidays, but the evidence is clear that further public health measures are required to slow the spread of Omicron and prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed," Deputy Premier and Health Minister, Christine Elliott, said in the announcement.
The new restrictions were announced alongside other government efforts to reduce the spread of the Omicron variant, as cases have continued to pop up across the province over the last couple of weeks.
As a result, the following indoor public settings will now operate at 50% as of 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, December 19:
• Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments and strip clubs
• Personal care services
• Personal physical fitness trainers
• Retailers (including grocery stores and pharmacies)
• Shopping malls
• Non-spectator areas of facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities (like gyms)
• Indoor recreational amenities
• Indoor clubhouses at outdoor recreational amenities
• Tour and guide services
• Photography studios and services
• Marinas and boating clubs
It's worth noting that the limits don't apply to any portion of a business or place that is being used for a wedding, funeral, religious service, rite or ceremony.
However, there are other notable rules for restaurants, bars and strip clubs. For example, only 10 people will be allowed to sit at a table inside any food or drink establishment. There will also be a curfew in place for those businesses, which will have to close by 11:00 p.m. Food and drink services will be prohibited at sporting events, concert venues, theatres, cinemas, casinos, bingo halls, and other gaming establishments.
Health Canada has a robust website with all the latest information on COVID-19 vaccines and can answer any questions you may have.