On Oct.22 Premier Doug Ford announced Ontario’s Plan to Safely Reopen Ontario and Manage COVID-19 for the Long-Term. Speaking at a news conference this afternoon, he outlined the province’s gradual approach to lifting remaining public health and workplace safety measures by March 2022.
Ontario will slowly and incrementally lift all remaining public health and workplace safety measures, including the provincial requirement for proof of vaccination and wearing of face coverings in indoor public settings, over the next six months. This phased approach will be guided by the ongoing assessment and monitoring of key public health and health care indicators, such as the identification of any new COVID-19 variants, increases in hospitalizations and ICU occupancy and rapid increases in transmission to ensure that public health and workplace safety measures are lifted safely.
The plan contains the following proposed milestones, each of which is subject to assessment. The Current has listed some highlights; for a detailed list please scroll down and follow the link to the complete media release.
October 25, 2021: With continued improvements to key indicators, including ongoing stability in the province’s hospitals, effective October 25, 2021 at 12:01 a.m., Ontario will lift capacity limits in the vast majority of settings where proof of vaccination are required, such as restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments; indoor areas of sports and recreational facilities such as gyms and where personal physical fitness trainers provide instruction; casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments; and indoor meeting and event services. Limits will also be lifted in certain outdoor settings. The government will also allow other settings to lift capacity limits and physical distancing requirements if they choose to require proof of vaccination, such as personal care services; indoor areas in museums, galleries, etc.; indoor clubhouses at outdoor recreational facilities; real estate open houses; and indoor areas of photography studios.
November 15, 2021: The government intends to lift capacity limits in the remaining higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, including food or drink establishments with dance facilities.
January 17, 2022: If the winter holiday season and return to in-class learning do not result in any public health concerns, the province intends to begin gradually lifting capacity limits in settings where proof of vaccination is not required. The Chief Medical Officer of Health will also lift CMOH directives as appropriate. Proof of vaccination requirements may also begin to be gradually lifted at this time.
February 7, 2022: The government intends to lift proof of vaccination requirements in high-risk settings.
March 28, 2022: At this time, it is intended that remaining public health and workplace safety measures will be lifted, including wearing face coverings in indoor public settings. Also provincial requirement for proof of vaccination will be lifted for all remaining settings.
To manage COVID-19 over the long-term, local and regional responses by public health units will be deployed based on local context and conditions. Public health measures that may be applied locally could include reintroducing capacity limits and/or physical distancing, reducing gathering limits and adding settings where proof of vaccination is required, among others. Public health measures would be implemented provincially in exceptional circumstances, such as when the province’s health system capacity is at risk of becoming overwhelmed or if a vaccine resistant COVID-19 variant is identified in the province.