On May 14, 2020, the Ontario government announced that the first stage of the government’s reopening of the province will tentatively begin early next week. The news release can be found here.
Beginning on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 12:01 a.m., the following businesses, among others, can reopen:
· Retail businesses that are not in shopping malls and have separate street-front entrances. These businesses must put in place physical-distancing measures (e.g. limiting number of customers in the store and booking appointments).
· Seasonal businesses.
· Pet care services, such as grooming and training, as well as veterinary services.
· Indoor and outdoor household services (e.g. housekeepers, cooks, cleaning, and maintenance services) that follow public health guidelines.
· Construction – essential workplace restrictions being lifted.
· Certain health and medical services, such as in-person counselling, in-person services, and scheduled surgeries, provided the service providers meet certain conditions.
· Vehicle dealerships and retailers.
A detailed list of businesses that may resume operations can be found here.
In addition, certain seasonal businesses may reopen as early as this weekend. In particular, the following businesses may reopen as of 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2020:
· Golf courses, with clubhouses open only for washrooms and restaurants open only for take-out.
· Marinas, boat clubs, and public boat launches may open for recreational use.
· Private parks and campgrounds may open to enable preparation for the season and to allow access for trailers and recreational vehicles whose owners have a full season contract.
· Businesses that board animals.
To assist with the reopening, the government and health and safety associations released a series of sector-specific guidance documents. They can be found here and here.
The Ontario government has also launched a website to inform businesses about personal protective equipment suppliers. This Workplace PPE Supplier Directory provides a list of Ontario companies and business associations that offer to supply personal protective equipment. For more information on Stage 1 of the reopening, please click here.
This blog post was written by Marina Abrosimov, a member of the Business Law team. Marina can be reached at 613-369-0363 or at marina.abrosimov@mannlawyers.com.
