At 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 16, 2021, Ontario will move into Step Three of its Roadmap to Reopen.

Here is what Step Three means for your business.

General

• Mask and physical distancing laws are still in effect.
• Maximum capacities are calculated as:
  • Outdoors: total square metres accessible to the public divided by 1.33 and rounded down to the nearest whole number (e.g. a 50 square metre outdoor space may be occupied by 37 people).
  • Indoors: capacity is determined based on Ontario Regulation 213/07 (Fire Code) (e.g. for 50% capacity, half the number of people allowed under the Fire Code may occupy the space).
• Businesses are responsible for ensuring that people queuing to enter are masked and at least two metres apart.
• Capacity limits, where applicable, must be posted prominently and visible to the public.

Retailers

• Retailers may open to a capacity limit such that each person inside the establishment can maintain a two-metre distance from others.
• Malls may open. No more people may be allowed in than the sum capacity of the retail stores in the mall, as described above. Mall management cannot allow loitering anywhere in the mall.
• If your retail store is open, you must:
  • Provide sufficient alcohol-based hand rub (minimum alcohol concentration of 70 per cent) at every entrance and exit of the establishment, with prompting to use it upon entry and exit
  • Ensure the workplace is arranged to help employees keep two metres distance from each other and from patrons at all times
  • Conduct daily interactive screening of all employees for symptoms of COVID-19, using the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Screening Tool for Workplaces, or another tool with the same minimum set of questions, such as the COVID-19 Screening Tool developed by Niagara Region Public Health. Answers to daily screens must be collected and retained for at least one month. Consider supplementing daily screening with free rapid antigen test kits
  • Actively monitor compliance and ensure that all patrons, store staff and mall staff, whether inside the mall or retail store under your control, or in the vicinity of a line-up outside the mall or retail store under your control, wear a mask or face covering in a manner that covers their mouth, nose and chin unless entitled to an exception from this requirement in the Reopening Ontario Act
  • Actively manage all line-ups or groups of patrons congregating and ensure all patrons waiting in line-ups inside or outside the shopping mall or retail store under your control maintain physical distancing of at least two metres
  • Actively monitor compliance with the required capacity limits set in the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020, S.O. 2020, c.17 and applicable regulations for the shopping mall, business, place, facility, or premise under your control, and ensure that physical distancing of two metres is maintained by patrons, store staff and mall staff in all common areas, stores, washrooms, hallways, entrances, etc., at all times

Bars, restaurants, and other food & drink establishments

• Dining is permitted with up to six people per table, with exceptions for larger households.
• Capacity is limited to the number that can be seated with two-metre separation.
• Karaoke is permitted.
• If your establishment is open for dining, you must:
  • Record the following information from every patron who is 16 years of age or older that enters an indoor or outdoor dining area in the establishment, other than patrons who briefly enter the area to place, pick up, or pay for a takeout order:
    • Name
    • One form of contact information (phone number, email address, physical address)
    • Time of arrival and departure
    • Table number or location
    • Attestation that the patron doesn’t suffer from any COVID-19 symptoms, excluding those from a chronic non-contagious existing diagnosis)
  • Retain the above records for a period of at least one month, ensure the records are maintained and stored in a secure manner to preserve privacy of patrons, and appropriately and securely destroy the records after the one month retention period has elapsed
  • Disclose the records to a medical officer of health or an inspector under the Health Protection and Promotion Act on request, or as otherwise required by law
  • Refuse service patrons for indoor or outdoor dining on the premises if they don’t provide information for the above records. This is a legal requirement mandated by a Section 22 order in Niagara
  • Conduct daily interactive screening of all employees for symptoms of COVID-19, using the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Screening Tool for Workplaces, or another tool with the same minimum set of questions, such as the COVID-19 Screening Tool developed by Niagara Region Public Health. Answers to daily screens should be collected and retained for at least one month. Consider supplementing daily screening with free rapid antigen test kits
  • Ensure the workplace is arranged to help employees keep two metres distance from each other and from patrons at all times
  • Ensure that patrons are seated at all times, except while:
    • Entering the area and moving to their table
    • Placing or picking up an order
    • Paying for an order
    • Exiting the area
    • Going to or returning from a washroom
    • Lining up to do anything stated above
    • Necessary for the purposes of health and safety
  • Ensure that patrons seated at different tables are separated by a distance of at least two metres, or by plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier

Personal care services

• Open by appointment only.
• Persons who provide personal care services in the business must wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Individuals must be screened as per above.
• Oxygen bars must remain closed.

Veterinary and pet services

• Open

Lawn care and landscaping

• Open

Marinas and boating clubs

• Open

Sports, recreational facilities, fitness classes and personal training

• Indoor facilities are limited to 50% capacity.
• Indoor spectators are at 50% capacity indoors (see above for capacity calculations) or to a maximum of 1,000 people, whichever is less.
• Outdoor spectators are at a maximum of 75% capacity or 5,000 people, whichever is less.
• Screening and records must be kept as per above.

Meeting or event space, conference centres, convention centres, events, attractions, and entertainment

• Open at 50% capacity indoors (see above for capacity calculations) or to a maximum of 1,000 people, whichever is less.
• The capacity of any individual room is 50% with room for two-metre distances between people.
• Outdoor occupancy is set at a maximum of 75% or 5,000 people, whichever is less.
• Seated people must be separated by at least two metres’ space or an impermeable barrier.

Day camps and campgrounds

• Open

Construction

• All construction is permitted

For questions, call the Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659.