The Government of Ontario is issuing new restrictions as COVID-19 cases climb across Canada’s most populous province.
Premier Doug Ford announced that his government is cutting capacity limits to 50% for all indoor settings and reducing gathering sizes to 10 people. The new restrictions went into effect over the weekend.
Under the new restrictions, the province is reducing social gathering limits to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors. As well, capacity limits for all indoor public settings, except religious settings, will be cut down to 50%, including restaurants, bars, personal care services, fitness facilities, malls, and all retail stores.
Bars, restaurants, meeting and event spaces, and strip clubs will be required to close by 11 p.m. The sale of alcohol will be restricted after 10 p.m. Takeout service will be permitted beyond 11 p.m.
Food and drink services will be prohibited at sporting events, concert venues, theatres and cinemas, and other gaming establishments.
The updated restrictions come two days after the province announced it would be capping capacity at 50% for indoor venues with capacity greater than 1,000 people, including sports facilities, theatres and concert venues.
The Ontario government also announced it would be expanding eligibility for COVID-19 booster shots to anyone 18 years of age or older.
The province logged 3,124 new cases of COVID-19 last Friday (December 17). The number of new infections across Ontario has been increasing at a steady rate over the last week.
