Ontario’s stay-at-home order will expire on June 2 but when it does, all other COVID-19 public health and workplace measures will remain in place in Niagara and province-wide due to “ongoing risks,” the government announced Tuesday (June 1).
When Ontario enters “Step One” of the much-publicized Roadmap to Reopen plan, some restrictions will ease with an initial focus on outdoor settings, according to a government release.
“We’ve seen great progress in our fight against COVID-19 in recent weeks, but now is not the time to let our guard down,” said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. “With the Stay-At-Home order set to expire, we need to provide people with certainty so that they can continue to follow public health guidance. Doing so will help us to meet our goal of starting to gradually lift some restrictions when we enter Step One of the Roadmap when it is safe to do so.”
The Ontario government declared a provincial emergency and stay-at-home order on April 7 in response to the rapid increase in COVID-19 transmission driven by new, more contagious variants.
All other existing measures will remain in place province-wide, including restrictions on gatherings, businesses, services and activities, once the order expires June 2.
This includes limiting indoor gatherings to households only and outdoor gatherings to up to five people, subject to limited exceptions, maintaining a cap of 25 per cent capacity for essential retail where only certain goods are permitted to be sold, restricting non-essential retail to curbside pickup and delivery only, as well as limiting short-term rentals to individuals in need of housing and allowing Ontario Parks and campgrounds on public lands to be used for day-use only, subject to limited exceptions, the government release said.
Ontarians will be able to leave home to travel within the province to a secondary residence for any reason, however, they are not be permitted to host members of another household indoors except for a person from another household who lives alone or a caregiver, the government said.
