With a stay-at-home order now fully in effect for all of Ontario, people are hunkering down across the province... slightly more than they were before... save for those who must work at or visit essential businesses and services.
The rules remain vague, even now that a legal framework document for the order has been released, leaving many to question if they can or can't go to school, work, appointments, stores or even just outside.
You can, in fact, do all of the above things if they've been deemed essential — by the government, by your employer, by yourself or by the discretion of any individual police officer.
I'm not kidding; the Ford government has actually said that it's up to cops to interpret and enforce the (vague) rules as they see fit, but also that we as individual citizens must use our own discretion when considering what is an essential trip.
"Ontario is a big, diverse province," reads the preface of an FAQ document released by the government on Wednesday.
"As such, and as we have from the very outset of this pandemic, we will continue to rely on the best judgment of Ontarians as they stay at home as much as possible and only leave their homes for essential purposes."
While we don't have a definitive list of what is considered in Ford's eyes to be "essential," an updated list of "Businesses Permitted to Open and Sector Specific Restrictions" greenlights a host of specific scenarios (with exceptions, and under strict safety protocols which most often involve wearing a mask).
They are as follows, listed by sector:
Supply chain
- Businesses that supply businesses or places that are permitted to open within Ontario, or that supply businesses or services that have been declared essential in a jurisdiction outside of Ontario, with the support, products, supplies, systems, or services, including processing, packaging, warehousing, distribution, delivery, and maintenance necessary to operate.
Meeting or event space
Contact information recording required and only permitted to open for:
- The operation of child care centres and authorized recreational and skill building programs within the meaning of the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014
- Court services
- Government services
- Mental health and addictions support services (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous) permitted to a maximum of 10 people
- Social services
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals (e.g., cottages, cabins) only to be provided to individuals who are in need of housing
Restaurants, bars, and other food or drink establishments
- Take out, drive through, and delivery permitted only
- Includes the sale of alcohol
Driving instruction
No in-person driving instruction permitted except:
- For instruction for drivers of commercial motor vehicles
- Where the instruction is part of the Ontario Driver Certification Program administered by the Ministry of Transportation and involves the operation of motor vehicles for which:
- A class of driver’s licence other than Class G, G1, G2, M, M1 or M2 is required
- An air brake endorsement is required Or that is provided by a private career college, in accordance with certain conditions.
Supermarkets, convenience stores, indoor farmer’s markets and other stores that primarily sell food
Open for in-person retail, subject to:
- Members of the public being able to maintain two metres physical distance from every other person in the business or facility and complying with face covering rules
- The number of persons occupying any room that is open to the public does not exceed 50% capacity of the particular room
- Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted
Pharmacies
Open for in-person retail, subject to:
- Members of the public being able to maintain two metres physical distance from every other person in the business or facility and complying with face covering rules
- The number of persons occupying any room that is open to the public does not exceed 50% capacity of the particular room
- Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted
Discount retailers and big box stores that sell groceries
Open for in-person retail, subject to
- Members of the public being able to maintain two metres physical distance from every other person in the business or facility
- The number of persons occupying any room that is open to the public does not exceed 25% capacity of the particular room
- Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted
Other retailers
- Distancing and face covering rules apply
- Operating hours of 7am to 8pm
Gas stations and other fuel suppliers
Safety supply stores, businesses that sell, rent or repair assistive/mobility/medical devices, and optical stores that sell prescription eyewear to the public
- By appointment only
- Limit the number of persons occupying any room that is open to the public in the business to not exceed 50% capacity of the particular room
- Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted
- Operating hours of 7am to 8pm
Stores that sell liquor, including beer, wine and spirits
- Limit the number of persons occupying any room that is open to the public in the business does not exceed 25% of the particular room
- Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted
- Operating hours of 9am to 8pm
Shopping malls
- Closed for in-person retail
- Members of the public are only permitted to enter the mall to
- Access businesses and organizations permitted to be open (e.g., pharmacy, dentist); food court open for take-away, or by appointment only to facilitate pick-up as set out below
- Access court services and government services
- Shopping mall may establish a single designated location inside the shopping mall for order pick-up by patrons.
- Pick-up inside the shopping mall must be by appointment only
- Members of the public not permitted to loiter in any area of the shopping mall that is not related to the purpose of their visit
- Must open no earlier than 7 a.m. and close no later than 8 p.m., except to provide access to grocery stores/supermarkets, pharmacies, and health care providers that only have public entrances that face the interior of the mall
Cannabis retail stores operating under the authority of a retail store authorization issued under the Cannabis Licence Act, 2018
- By curbside pick-up or delivery only; Operating hours of 7am to 8pm
- An item may only be provided for curbside pickup if the patron ordered the item before arriving at the business premises
Garden centres
- Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted
- Operating hours of 7am to 8pm
- An item may only be provided for curbside pickup if the patron ordered the item before arriving at the business premises
0 comments:
Post a Comment