Ontario banning indoor dining, closing gyms, theatres for 28 days

by Rob Sysak, October 9, 2020

• Effective 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 10, new measures will be implemented in Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa, which includes the shutdown of indoor dining and gyms for the next 28 days.

The indoor dining restriction applies to restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments, including nightclubs and food courts in malls.

Indoor gyms and fitness centres, including yoga studios and dance studios will also be closed in these regions. Cinemas, casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments are also required to close. Many have been looking for further reading into their options online to keep sharp on their skills in this interim period, but these are unprecedented times to say the least. Maybe they could resort to gaining more information about the same from online articles and blogs (such as Blackout Bingo reviews) to resort to online bingo till the brick and mortar establishments open up for them!

As of Oct. 13, weddings in Ontario will be forced to comply with updated public health measures, which limit 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

More detailed information is available here: news.ontario.ca/en/release/58767/ontario-implementing-additional-public-health-measures-in-toronto-ottawa-and-peel-region

Indoor dining Closed

• All indoor food and drink service in restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments, including nightclubs and food court areas in malls are prohibited.

Businesses closing

• Indoor gyms and fitness centres (e.g., yoga studios, dance studios).
• Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments.
• Cinemas.
• Performing arts centres and venues.
• Spectator areas in racing venues.
• Interactive exhibits or exhibits with high risk of personal contact in museums, galleries, zoos, science centres, landmarks, etc.
• Prohibiting personal care services where face coverings must be removed for the service.
  

Reduced capacity limits for services

• Tour and guide services to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
• Real Estate open houses to 10 people indoors, where physical distancing can be maintained.
• In-person teaching and instruction to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, with exemptions for schools, child care centres, universities, colleges of applied arts and technology, private career colleges etc.
• Meeting and event spaces to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
• Limiting team sports to training sessions (no games or scrimmages).
• Schools and places of worship will remain open and must continue to follow the public health measures in place.

Weddings

• Wedding receptions may proceed in line with current public health measures, including new gathering limits of 10 indoors and 25 outdoors at event spaces.

Social gatherings

• All social gatherings and organized public events will now only be able to have a maximum of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors where physical distancing can be maintained.
• The two limits cannot be combined for an indoor-outdoor event.

Promised Government Programs

**** The Provincial and Federal Governments are bringing forward some programs to assist businesses financially. Some Program information is below, however there are no links to the programs yet***

• A one-time grant of up to $1,000 for eligible main street small businesses – in retail, food and accommodations, and other service sectors – with two to nine employees to help offset the unexpected costs of personal protective equipment (PPE)

• The government plans to provide direct rent support to commercial tenants at a projected cost of $2.2 billion through the end of the year.
  • The new Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy, which would provide simple and easy-to-access rent and mortgage support until June 2021 for qualifying organizations affected by COVID-19.
  • The rent subsidy would be provided directly to tenants, while also providing support to property owners.
    
    
• A wage subsidy program will cover up to 65 per cent of eligible costs through December, costing the treasury $6 billion over that time, and $11 billion more to a well-used loan program by providing an added $20,000, half of which would be forgivable.

• Organizations would be able to make claims retroactively for the period that began September 27 and ends October 24, 2020.

• An expanded Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), which would enable businesses, and not-for-profits eligible for CEBA loans-
  • To access an interest-free loan of up to $20,000, in addition to the original CEBA loan of $40,000.
  • Half of this additional financing would be forgivable if repaid by December 31, 2022.
  • Additionally, the application deadline for CEBA is being extended to December 31, 2020.