Ontario set to lift COVID-19 measures by end of March

Easing of controls starts Monday, with capacity limits lifted in bars, etc.

TORONTO — Ontario is set to lift all COVID-19 public health measures by the end of March, including mask mandates.

Premier Doug Ford said Ontario is in a position to do that thanks to the province’s careful approach to reopening and the resulting stability seen in case counts, hospitalizations and ICU admissions.

“We’re here because we stayed cautious,” he said. “We stayed disciplined and we never underestimated this virus. We look to other countries, other provinces, there could be no question that this was and is the right approach.”

The province said it will be assessing key public health and health-system indicators — including the identification of new COVID-19 variants and increases in hospitalizations — in the coming months to ensure restrictions can be lifted safely.

“I’m going to be super cautious,” Ford said. “If we do not see numbers in a stable place, we just aren’t going to do it.”

But Ontarians need to see benefits for all the hard work they have done in controlling the pandemic to this point, Ford said.

The easing of restrictions will start Monday, with capacity limits lifted in restaurants, bars, gyms, casinos and indoor meeting and event spaces.

If museums and galleries, places of worship, and personal-care settings require proof of vaccination, they can lift capacity limits on Monday too. Night clubs, wedding receptions that involve dancing, and sex clubs can lift capacity limits as of Nov. 15.

Proof-of-vaccination requirements will also start to be lifted early next year — as long as trends don’t become concerning

“If we do not see numbers in a stable place, we just aren’t going to do it.” DOUG FORD PREMIER OF ONTARIO

— starting with restaurants, bars, gyms and casinos in January.

Ontario is aiming to lift all remaining measures, including masking requirements and emergency orders, as well as the proof-of-vaccination in other settings such as sporting events and concert venues, on March 28, 2022.

By then, chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore said, hopefully enough Ontarians are immunized, including children aged five to 11, so the virus can’t find hosts in which to reproduce.

“We’ll have a very good point to be able to look at the data to review a safe opening for all of Ontario,” he said.

“And then we will have to learn to live with this virus, but it gives us a significant amount of time to build up the immunization protection of our population.”

Restaurants Canada, which was angered when capacity limits were lifted on large venues ahead of small businesses such as restaurants, said it was pleased with the plan.

“We thought we should have been open two weeks ago, but we’re happy that it’s finally here and restaurants will work throughout the weekend to make sure they’re ready to open fully by Monday,” said James Rilett, the group’s vice-president for Central Canada.

He said it’s heartening that restaurants are set to have the requirement for proof of vaccination lifted before other establishments.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business also said it was glad to see the playing field levelled, but both organizations called on the government to provide more supports for businesses to implement the vaccine certificate system.

Ford said he wants to do everything possible to avoid broad lockdowns, and if any public health measures need to be brought back in place, it will be done in a localized way.

Targeted and local measures could include re-establishing capacity limits or distancing requirements, requiring proof of vaccination, reducing gathering limits, and recommending or requiring that people who can, work from home.

In modelling released earlier Friday, a group of science experts advising the government said the province can control the spread of COVID-19 if public health measures stay in place.

The experts said a combination of vaccination and public health measures has led to declining case counts and stable hospitalizations and ICU admissions.