Ontario Has Clarified Exactly What You Can Leave Your House For Right Now

Ontario has clarified the specifics of the stay-at-home order guidelines that were announced earlier this week and come into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday. 

The list is long, and it includes exceptions for exercising, travelling, shopping for groceries, and dealing with medical emergencies. 

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There had been some confusion about what the stay-at-home order would look like, but the government released the specifics five hours before the order comes into effect.

Ontarians are allowed to go outside if they're going to work, going to school, volunteering, or providing or attending child care programs.

Ontarians can go outside to "[obtain] goods and services," which is a wide category that allows for most shopping — like for buying groceries and beverages, going to banks, or picking up items via curbside pickup.

The stay-at-home order also allows exceptions for performing activities for the safe operation of homes, businesses, or transportation.

Gatherings are only allowed if they are for a wedding, funeral, or religious rite or if an individual lives alone and is visiting one other household.

Exceptions are allowed for moving, too, whether to a new residence or to the residence of a caregiver.

People are allowed to travel to an airport, bus station, or train station if they're doing so to go outside of the province.

And people with pets are allowed to leave the house to pick up supplies for their animals and to walk and exercise them.

The stay-at-home order also allows people to leave their house if they're in an emergency — whether it's a medical emergency or somebody's safety is at "imminent risk."

And finally, the stay-at-home order does not apply to people who are homeless.