The Ontario Government’s crystal ball now tells us we’re doing better than expected, and some public health measures are easing up sooner because of it.
Starting this Thursday at one minute past midnight, the Province will be Increasing social gathering limits to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors;
Increasing organized public event limits to 50 people indoors, with no limit outdoors, as well as removing capacity limits indoors with proof of vaccination- including at restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments where there’s no dancing.
The same applies to non-spectator areas of sports and recreational facilities, including gyms, cinemas
and meeting and event spaces large or small.
Included are casinos, bingo halls and other gaming properties.
You can even opt in to the new gathering limits if your business or function requires proof of vaccination.
Large gatherings now see 50 percent capacity limits, including sports arenas, concert venues and theatres.
Higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, beginning with dining-and-dancing and running the gamut to nightclubs, bathhouses and sex clubs can now rise to 25 percent capacity.
Weddings, funerals or other congregate events will be capped at the number of people who can maintain two (2) metre social distance indoors, and waived altogether if the function is held either outdoors, or inside with proof of vaccination.
At the grocery or pharmacy- or in malls and box stores the capacity limit of each is determined by the two-metre social distance rule.
With good behaviour and if no more variants come knocking, remaiing capacity limits will be done away with March 1st, and you’ll no longer have to carry your QR code with you anywhere you go.
In the future, where restrictions are required it will be a local decision based on conditions- but the masking mandate won’t be going away any time soon.
