Ontario is reintroducing some COVID-19 restrictions from Stage 2 to help curb the spread of the disease in hotspot areas, including Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa.

The province’s top doctor, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams, announced the changes on Oct. 9 as Ontario logged more than 900 new COVID-19 cases for the first time since the pandemic started.

On Oct. 16, the Ontario government announced that York Region will also move back to a modified version of stage 2.

Here is a list of all services, businesses and gatherings impacted by the new changes.

Social gatherings

  • All social gatherings and organized public events will now only be able to have a maximum of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors where physical distancing can be maintained
  • The two limits cannot be combined for an indoor-outdoor event
  • Indoor dining
  • All indoor food and drink service in restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments, including nightclubs and food court areas in malls are prohibited

Businesses closing

  • Indoor gyms and fitness centres (e.g., yoga studios, dance studios)
  • Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
  • Cinemas
  • Performing arts centres and venues
  • Spectator areas in racing venues
  • Interactive exhibits or exhibits with high risk of personal contact in museums, galleries, zoos, science centres, landmarks, etc
  • Prohibiting personal care services where face coverings must be removed for the service

Reduced capacity limits for services

  • Tour and guide services to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors
  • Real Estate open houses to 10 people indoors, where physical distancing can be maintained
  • In-person teaching and instruction to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, with exemptions for schools, child care centres, universities colleges of applied arts and technology, private career colleges etc
  • Meeting and event spaces to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors
  • Limiting team sports to training sessions (no games or scrimmages)
  • Schools and places of worship will remain open and must continue to follow the public health measures in place

Weddings

  • Effective Tuesday, October 13, 2020 at 12:01 a.m., updated public health measures will apply to wedding receptions, including new gathering limits of 10 indoors and 25 outdoors at event spaces
  • Wedding receptions scheduled for the Thanksgiving weekend may proceed in line with current public health measures