1. State of Emergency + Stay at Home Order 


The Ontario Government has just announced a second Provincial Emergency. They are issuing stay-at-home orders and will be introducing enhanced enforcement measures to reduce mobility.

Below you will find highlights on:

1) Additional Health Measures (includes changes for businesses.)
2) Stay-At-Home Orders (includes work from home direction.)
3) New Enforcement Measures
4) Paid Sick Leave


1) Additional Health Measures: The following additional public health measures are being put in place:

  • All non-essential retail stores, including hardware stores, alcohol retailers, and those offering curbside pickup or delivery, must open no earlier than 7 a.m. and close no later than 8 p.m. The restricted hours of operation do not apply to stores that primarily sell food, pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, and restaurants for takeout or delivery.
  • Non-essential construction is further restricted, including below-grade construction, exempting survey.
  • Outdoor organized public gatherings and social gatherings are further restricted to a limit of five people with limited exceptions. This is consistent with the rules during the lockdown during the first wave of COVID-19 in spring 2020 and will allow individuals and families to enjoy time outdoors safely.
  • Individuals are required to wear a mask or face covering in the indoor areas of businesses or organizations that are open. Wearing a mask or face covering is now recommended outdoors when you can’t physically distance more than two metres.

These measures will come into effect between Tuesday January 12, 2021 and Thursday, January 14, 2021.

 

 

For more details, click here to read the full press release.


2) Stay-At-Home Orders: Effective Thursday, January 14, 2021at 12:01 a.m

The government is issuing a stay-at-home order requiring everyone to remain at home with exceptions for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services, for exercise or for essential work.

This order and other new and existing public health restrictions are aimed at limiting people’s mobility and reducing the number of daily contacts with those outside an immediate household. In addition to limiting outings to essential trips, all businesses must ensure that any employee who can work from home, does work from home.

 

 

For more details, click here to read the full press release.


3) New Enforcement Measures: Under the declaration of a provincial emergency, the province will provide authority to all enforcement and provincial offences officers, including the Ontario Provincial Police, local police forces, bylaw officers, and provincial workplace inspectors to issue tickets to individuals who do not comply with the stay-at-home-order, or those not wearing a mask or face covering indoors as well as retail operators and companies who do not enforce.

Those who decide not to abide by orders will be subject to set fines and/or prosecution under both the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, (ROA) and EMCPA.

In addition, all enforcement personnel will have the authority to temporarily close a premise and disperse individuals who are in contravention of an order and will be able to disperse people who are gathering, regardless of whether a premise has been closed or remains open such as a park or house.

 

 

For more details, click here to read the full press release.


4) Paid Sick Leave: In the unfortunate event that an employee becomes infected with COVID-19, they may be entitled to federally funded paid sick leave of up to $500 a week for two weeks.

Workers can also access Canada’s Recovery Caregiver Benefit of up to $500 per week for up to 26 weeks if they are unable to work because they must care for their child under 12 years old or a family member who needs supervised care.

*Note – There is no support offered by the Provincial Government at this time

 

 

For more details, click here to read the full press release.

 

COVID-19