The City of Toronto continues to strongly recommend all residents stay home as much as possible to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
On January 12, 2021, the Province of Ontario declared its second state of emergency. At 12:01 a.m. this morning, the Province’s new stay-at-home order came into effect in Toronto and across the province. The City is supportive of strengthened measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, protect our healthcare system and save lives, and has adjusted City services and operations to comply with the new provincial regulations.
Since November, City services have been carried out in compliance with the provincial Lockdown Regulation. City staff are reviewing the updated regulations and stay-at-home order to make additional adjustments to service delivery as required. Impacts of COVID-19 regulations on City services are updated regularly on the COVID-19: Changes to City Services webpage. Residents are encouraged to check the page often.
In reviewing the provincial amendments that came into effect this morning, City staff are making adjustments to services and instructions for accessing spaces. This includes:
Gatherings
Provincial regulations now impose additional limits on what kinds of gatherings are permitted. Indoor social gatherings or organized public events of any size remain prohibited. Individuals may only attend an outdoor social gathering or organized event if there are less than five persons in attendance and it is for a purpose set out in the stay-at-home order. The limited circumstances in which outdoor social gatherings can occur include for the purpose of a wedding, funeral, religious service, exercise and those engaged in by persons who live alone so long as the gathering is with one other household only.
Child care
Emergency child care is continuing until February 10.
Outdoor skating rinks
Under the new provincial regulations, City outdoor skating rinks are permitted to remain open for 25 people at a time. At the advice of Toronto Public Health, the City now requires masks or face coverings while on and off the ice and while waiting in line.
Ski hills
The City’s two ski hills, Centennial Park and Earl Bales Park, remain closed in accordance with the Province’s Lockdown Regulation first introduced last month. The hills are typically open from January 1 to March Break, weather permitting. Due to the further updated provincial orders which will be in place for at least 28 days, the decision to cancel winter instructional programming and the ramp-up time required to prepare ski facilities, the difficult decision has been made to not open the two ski hills this season.
Enforcement
New provincial offences include prohibitions against any person using an indoor or outdoor recreational facility that is required to be closed and any person attending a business or place that is required to be closed, with very limited exceptions. The City’s COVID-19 enforcement team continues to enforce provincial regulations and City bylaws. This weekend, as part of an Ontario Ministry of Labour blitz, enforcement officers will be visiting big-box stores to ensure workers and patrons are wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, and following health and safety measures. The Toronto Police Service has also provided further details on police enforcement.
Please stay home
The City is asking all people to respect the goal of the new COVID-19 regulations. The intention is for people to stay home as much as possible in order to make spreading COVID-19 impossible.
Please review the City’s simple “Dos” and “Don’ts” guide for recommended and mandatory public health measures. The guide communicates some of what is and what is not, permitted under the provincial Lockdown Regulation that remains in effect and the new stay-at-home order to help stop the spread of COVID-19: toronto.ca/lockdownguide.
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