Ontario's Emergency Orders Could Now Stay In Place Until March & Here's Why

It looks like the emergency orders in Ontario are potentially here to stay until the end of March.

Ontario's emergency orders were originally set to expire next week on December 1, but the government passed a motion that granted the extension.

This means Premier Ford now has the power to push the emergency orders until March 28, 2022, but the cabinet will have to approve orders in 30-day blocks.

"This proposed extension would align the expiry date with the government's plan to safely reopen Ontario and manage COVID-19 for the long term," a spokesperson for Solicitor General Sylvia Jones told Narcity via email.

"The motion is to extend the government's authority for the orders to exist – individual orders continue to be required to be extended by Cabinet in 30-day increments."

"As announced in October, the government intends for remaining public health and workplace safety measures to be lifted by March 28."

There are currently 27 orders that are still in place under the Reopening Ontario Act, which includes proof of vaccine certificates and capacity limits.

The Ontario government has already hit the pause button on lifting some of its capacity limits in higher-risk settings that require proof of vaccination, which include public spaces like nightclubs, wedding receptions with dance floors, strip clubs, sex clubs and bathhouses.

While this was originally set to lift on November 15, the provincial government decided to hold off for 28 days so they could monitor the COVID-19 situation in Ontario before deeming it safe.

The rest of the originally proposed timeline had potentially called for getting rid of masking protocols in the province as well as proof of vaccination requirements in all settings by March 28, 2022.

Several health regions across Ontario have reimposed public health measures due to a surge of COVID-19 cases in the province.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.