Last updated: November 12, 2021 at 10:45 a.m.
Toronto is in Step Three of the Province’s Roadmap to Reopen.
Informed by the best advice from Toronto Public Health and other public health experts, the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario have enacted legislation to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The enforcement of these public health bylaws and orders continues to be a priority for the City of Toronto.
Please note that the Class Order to limit in-person attendances of school-aged children issued by the Medical Officer of Health on May 6, 2021, under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, was revoked on June 5, 2021. Read a letter to education providers on the revocation of the order.
Under the mandatory mask or face covering bylaw, operators of an establishment must have a policy in place that requires masks or face coverings be worn in indoor public spaces. Under the Apartment bylaw, owners of apartment buildings and condominium corporations also must have a policy in place that requires masks or face coverings be worn in common areas in apartment buildings and condominiums and any person in an enclosed common area of an apartment or condominium building must wear a mask or face covering, unless subject to an exemption.
Under amendments to Chapter 354, Apartment Buildings bylaw, apartment building owners and operators are required to provide hand hygiene stations or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, ensure non-essential common areas remain closed as specified by provincial orders, clean frequently-touched surfaces in all open common areas, and post Toronto Public Health signage. Learn more about requirements for apartment building owners and operators.
Through a Class Order issued by the Medical Officer of Health, individuals who have COVID-19 who are not hospitalized, who have symptoms and are waiting for test results, who have had close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, or who are otherwise instructed by Toronto Public Health to self-isolate are ordered to self-isolate at home or in an isolation facility. People who have mild or moderate illness must isolate for 10 days beginning on the day after symptoms started, or 10 days beginning on the day after they receive a positive test if they do not have symptoms. People who have severe illness or are severely immuno-compromised must isolate for 20 days beginning on the day after their symptoms start. Close contacts must isolate for 10 days beginning on the day after their last contact with someone who is diagnosed with COVID-19. Close contacts who are fully vaccinated or had a recent COVID-19 infection may not need to self-isolate.
Failure to comply with the order is subject to a fine of up to $5,000 for every day or part of each day on which the offence occurs or continues.
Anyone who is not subject to the Class Order or has not recently returned from travel, is strongly directed to avoid non-essential trips in the community and avoid close contact with others. For more information, read the Class Order fact sheet (also available in Amharic | Arabic | Bengali | Dari | Farsi | French | Gujarati | Pashto | Portuguese | Punjabi | Simplified Chinese | Somali | Spanish | Tamil | Urdu | Vietnamese).
Start: April 2020 (amended November 2020)
End: no set end date
Legislation: Class Order under the Government of Ontario’s Health Protection and Promotion Act
On October 8, 2021, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health issued a Letter of Instruction to all businesses and organizations with indoor areas of facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities in the City of Toronto. Businesses and organizations with indoor areas of facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities in the City of Toronto are required to take the additional measures set out in this Letter.
Effective 12:01 a.m. on November 1, 2021, and until further notice, all persons responsible for businesses and organizations with indoor areas of facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities, including facility operators and permit holders, in the City of Toronto are required to:
1. Implement a policy requiring that each person, 12 years and older, who attends an indoor area of the facility for the purpose of:
a. actively participating in Organized Sports; or
b. coaching, caregiving at, volunteering at, or officiating Organized Sports
provide, at the point of entry, identification and proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or a valid medical exemption each time they enter.
2. Otherwise comply, and implement the above instructions, in accordance with all applicable requirements under the Reopening Ontario Act, including the Proof of Vaccination requirements in section 2.1 of Schedule 1, and the Ministry of Health’s Proof of Vaccination Guidance for Businesses and Organizations.
On November 12, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health added an amendment to the Letter of Instruction providing children who turn 12 years -old a grace period of 12 weeks from their birthdate, during which they will not need to show proof of vaccination at indoor sports facilities. The grace period ensures that indoor sports activity can continue while children receive their two doses of COVID-19 vaccine effective January 1, 2022.
Also see Toronto Public Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture Organizations.
On January 4, 2021, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health issued a Letter of Instruction to all employers in the City of Toronto permitted to be open under the Reopening Ontario Act. Employers permitted to be open are required to take the additional measures set out in this Letter to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Effective immediately, all persons responsible for a business or organization in the City of Toronto implement the following measures:
Businesses must ensure the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training, and Skills Development and/or other relevant government authorities have been notified in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and other applicable law.
Businesses and community organizations must also follow Government of Ontario and City of Toronto guidelines for their specific setting or sector.
Also see the Class Order for Workplaces Experiencing a COVID-19 Outbreak issued by Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health on March 3, 2021.
Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health issued a Class Order to all workplaces in the City of Toronto that are identified by Toronto Public Health as experiencing an active COVID-19 outbreak, with some exceptions.
Effective Friday, April 23 at 12:01 a.m. all workplaces that are experiencing an active COVID-19 outbreak must comply with the following requirements:
1. This Order applies in addition to the Class Order applying to workplaces issued on March 3, 2021 and the Class Order requiring isolation of certain individuals issued on November 6, 2020 (“Isolation Class Order“). Where a class member is subject to more than one provision under any Class Order issued by the Medical Officer of Health, the provision that is most restrictive applies.
2. Notice under this Order may be provided in any manner likely to come to the attention of an owner or operator or occupier of a workplace, or worker.
3. (a) In addition to notifying Toronto Public Health as soon as they become aware of two or more individuals who test positive for COVID-19 within a 14 calendar-day period in connection with their workplace as required by the Medical Officer of Health’s Letter of Instruction dated January 4, 2021 and revised February 11, 2021, the owner or operator or occupier shall notify Toronto Public Health via the online COVID-19 Workplace Reporting Tool as soon as they become aware of five or more individuals who test positive for COVID-19 within a 14 calendar-day period in connection with their workplace.
(b) When there have been five or more confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases for individuals who have attended a workplace within a 14 calendar-day period, Toronto Public Health may, in its judgment, by notice require:
(c) Based on evidence of transmission other than there having been five or more confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases for individuals who have attended a workplace within a 14 calendar-day period, Toronto Public Health may, in its judgment, by notice require:
(d) The following workplaces may be exempt from the full closure requirements of this section:
4. Owners, operators and occupiers of a workplace that has been fully closed by notice under this Order shall post signage in a form provided by Toronto Public Health, in a conspicuous location at all entrances to the workplace, for the duration of the closure, indicating the workplace is closed.
5. Despite the above, temporary access to a closed workplace is authorized, unless otherwise prohibited by any applicable law, for the purposes of:
(a) performing work at the workplace in order to comply with any applicable law;
(b) allowing for inspections, maintenance and repairs to be carried out at the workplace;
(c) allowing for security services to be provided at the workplace; and
(d) attending at the workplace temporarily,
6. None of the above precludes a business or organization from operating remotely, without workers or other individuals attending at the workplace referred to in this Order.
7. Owners, operators and occupiers of a workplace shall follow all Toronto Public Health instructions pertaining to contact tracing and identifying workers who need to isolate, including ensuring that any instructions as specified by Toronto Public Health are communicated to workers.
8. If a workplace closure, or shift or work area mass dismissal is required in accordance with Section 3, all workers who are identified by Toronto Public Health or who are identified by an owner or operator or occupier of a workplace who is following Toronto Public Health instructions, must self-isolate as follows:
(a) workers covered by the Isolation Class Order, as required by the Isolation Class Order;
(b) asymptomatic workers not covered by the Isolation Class Order, for a minimum period of 10 calendar days.
Also see the Class Order to Close Workplaces to Manage COVID-19 Outbreaks.
On March 3, 2021, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health issued a Class Order to all workplaces in the City of Toronto that are identified by Toronto Public Health as experiencing an active COVID-19 outbreak.
Effective immediately, all workplaces that are experiencing an active COVID-19 outbreak must comply with the following requirements until cleared by Toronto Public Health:
Toronto is in Step Three of the Province of Ontario’s Roadmap to Reopen, the provincial COVID-19 reopening plan under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act.
The City’s COVID-19: Reopening Guide for Toronto Residents summarizes what is and is not permitted during Step Three reopening. Individuals and businesses with detailed questions about what is and is not permitted under provincial regulations should read the provincial regulations and seek legal counsel.
Starting August 9, 2021, American citizens and permanent residents of the United States, who currently reside in the U.S. and who qualify as fully vaccinated travellers, will be able to enter Canada for discretionary travel.
On September 7, 2021, provided that the domestic epidemiologic situation remains favourable, the Government intends to open Canada’s borders to any fully vaccinated travellers who have completed the full course of vaccination with a Government of Canada-accepted vaccine at least 14 days prior to entering Canada and who meet specific entry requirements.
Fully vaccinated travellers who meet the requirements will be exempt from quarantine; however, all travellers must still provide a quarantine plan and be prepared to quarantine, in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet the necessary requirements.
The City’s COVID-19 enforcement team is responsible for ensuring compliance with public health regulations. The team is a joint effort by Municipal Licensing & Standards, Parks, Forestry & Recreation, Toronto Public Health and Toronto Police Service.
Achieving compliance with public health-related orders and regulations has been a priority for the City of Toronto as it continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Enforcement officers are on patrol across the city at all times and respond to complaints made through 311. Enforcing bylaws is a necessarily complex process that requires investigation, gathering facts and applying legal processes. On a case-by-case basis, the enforcement team works to achieve compliance through education and/or enforcement action. The City recognizes that the public have been asked to significantly adjust their behaviours as requirements and orders have changed throughout the COVID-19 response.
This data provides information based on enforcement activities for the bylaws and orders related to COVID-19. This document will be updated weekly, every Tuesday by 3 p.m.
Please note, data will be reconciled at the end of each month which may result in adjustments to the previously reported weekly figures.
If you feel that you were wrongly ticketed, you have the option of requesting an early resolution meeting with a prosecutor and challenging it in court. You can do this by:
All of the required Provincial Offences Act court forms are available on the City’s website. Completed forms can be emailed to POACourt@toronto.ca or mailed to the address indicated on the back of the ticket.
Once the trial date is scheduled, you will receive a notice by mail of the time and place for your trial. The Court will conduct a trial to decide whether you committed the offence that gave rise to the ticket being issued.
The Class Order issued by the Medical Officer of Health on May 6, 2021, under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, was revoked on June 5, 2021. Read a letter to education providers (also available in French) on the revocation of the order.
The Class Order issued by the Medical Officer of Health on April 7, 2021, ended on Sunday, April 18, 2021. On April 12, 2021, the Government of Ontario, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, made the decision to move elementary and secondary schools to remote learning.
The Class Order issued by the Medical Officer of Health on November 13, 2020, under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, was revoked on November 23, 2020, as the provisions in that order are covered by the Stage 1 (Grey-Lockdown) provincial regulations currently in effect.