The City of Toronto continues to safely and gradually reopen services and amenities for everyone to enjoy this summer. Residents and visitors heading outside this weekend are reminded to adhere to Toronto Public Health’s advice to wash hands often, stay within their social circle of no more than 10 people, avoid crowds, practise physical distancing, and wear a face covering or mask in all indoor public spaces.
Masks or face coverings are now required in all indoor public spaces. The mandatory mask or face covering bylaw exempts those who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons, children under the age of two, and other accommodations.
Enforcement and restricted evening parking at beaches
Over the last several weekends, the City has seen a significant increase in the number of people at Toronto beaches late into the evening who are not practising physical distancing, or who are setting up DJ equipment, lighting bonfires, drinking excessively and leaving large amounts of litter behind.
Starting today, parking restrictions will be in place at Toronto beaches on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Parking restrictions will be in place at the following beaches starting at 7 p.m. on Friday:
Parking at Bluffers Park will close at 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Toronto Police will be present at all parking lot entrances. Vehicles leaving beach parking lots after 7 p.m. will be able to do so freely.
Bylaw officers, Toronto police and Toronto Fire will have a highly visible presence at beaches and parking lots, to ensure that crowds and bonfires and other prohibited activities, such as fireworks, do not occur or are dealt with quickly should they occur. Parking enforcement will also have a significant presence this weekend, with tagging and towing of illegally parked vehicles in the vicinity of beaches where parking is restricted.
Bonfires and the consumption of alcohol are not permitted in parks, beaches or public spaces. Organized parties involving DJs, including amplification of sound, are also prohibited. The City has created additional signage about alcohol consumption and littering in parks. Bylaw enforcement officers and Toronto Police will issue tickets related to the consumption of alcohol and bonfires, with fines of up to $300. Fines for littering can be up to $500. If a litter bin is full, residents are asked to take their garbage with them so it can be disposed of properly. Any overflowing bins or litter hot spots should be reported to 311.
City pools and splash pads
Torontonians can cool off at all of the City’s 140 splash pads and 56 outdoor swimming pools that are now open, with the exception of Earlscourt Park/Giovanni Caboto Pool which is undergoing repairs. The City’s 100 wading pools continue to open on a location-by-location basis. In order to allow for physical distancing, the capacity at outdoor pools will be significantly reduced to 25 per cent. Swimmers will be limited to 45-minute sessions to allow for cleaning. Full details are available at toronto.ca/swim.
Beaches
Toronto beaches are open, including the four Toronto Island Park beaches. Lifeguards supervise swim areas from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. Rouge Valley Beach remains closed. For more information on the City’s beaches visit toronto.ca/beaches.
It can be unsafe to swim, even at designated swimming beaches, for 48 hours after a rainfall due to the possible presence of high levels of bacteria that could pose a risk to human health. Water quality reports for local beaches are available at toronto.ca/health/swimsafe/index.htm.
City parks
Most amenities in City parks are now open. Playgrounds and outdoor exercise equipment remain closed. As COVID-19 continues to circulate in the community, residents visiting a beach or park must practise physical distancing and avoid crowding.
The City’s outdoor sport and multi-use fields are now open for training and permits will be issued to organizations for the remainder of the 2020 summer season.
Toronto Island Park public ferry and beaches
The public ferry service recently resumed operations at 50 per cent capacity with COVID-19 guidelines and procedures in place to protect passengers and staff. Tickets are limited to 5,000 per day. Visitors must purchase tickets online in advance at toronto.ca/ferry. Passengers are required to wear masks or face coverings. To reduce crowding, visitors are encouraged to travel outside of peak times of 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (from the ferry terminal to the island), and 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. for the return trip.
Lifeguards returned to the four Toronto Island Park swimming beaches on July 1. Services and amenities that are open at Toronto Island Park include washrooms, a splash pad, a first aid station, William Meany Maze, some food and beverage outlets and disc golf. Other Toronto Island Park public and commercial amenities, including Centreville, park playgrounds and boat rentals, remain closed under the current Province of Ontario emergency orders.
Public washroom facilities
Park washrooms are open to the public. In addition, the City has opened a number of facilities with showers, washrooms, and drinking water for all individuals in need of these services. More details including health guidelines for washrooms are available on the City Services webpage. Residents using public washrooms should maintain a distance of two metres or six feet from others at all times while waiting in line and wash hands or use hand sanitizer. It is also recommended that masks or face coverings are worn, especially when physical distancing is difficult.
ActiveTO road closures, cycling network and Quiet Streets
The following ActiveTO major road closures will be in place this weekend, from Saturday, July 11 at 6 a.m. to Sunday, July 12 at 11 p.m.:
Residents planning to use these roads should access them by bike or as a pedestrian as nearby parking is limited and there is no on site parking available. Parking lots at Sunnyside Park, Budapest Park and Sir Casimir Gzowski Park will be closed all weekend during ActiveTO closures. Overnight parking is not permitted in these lots and any vehicles should be moved before midnight on Friday night.
More than 60 kilometres of Quiet Streets are available to local residents throughout the city this weekend. More information on ActiveTO, including an online map of all locations, is available at toronto.ca/activeTO.
Curblane closures will be in place this weekend to accommodate new cafés/patios for CaféTO locations throughout the city.
St. Lawrence Market
The St. Lawrence Market continues to operate with enhanced precautions under the advisement of Toronto Public Health. The South Market is open Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Saturday Farmers’ Market indoor and outdoor areas are open weekly from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Sunday Antique Market remains closed until further notice.
The use of a face mask or face covering is required at the St. Lawrence Market Complex and entrance screenings are conducted for customers and all personnel entering the market. Please remember to bring your face covering for your trip and wear it at all times at the St. Lawrence Market Complex. Customers are reminded that even when wearing a mask or face covering, keeping physical distance from others and washing your hands often are the best ways to help stop the spread of COVID-19. For more information visit stlawrencemarket.com.
The City’s website is updated daily with the latest health advice and information about City services, social supports and economic recovery measures. Check toronto.ca/covid-19/ for answers to common questions before contacting the Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Hotline or 311.
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.