On Monday, November 23, 2020 Windsor and Essex County moves to the Orange-Restrict Level of the COVID-19 Response Framework. According to the Government of Ontario website the Orange-Restrict Level brings with it the following restrictions and requirements.
Concerning organized public events, social gatherings and religious services, rites and ceremonies:
- Limits for functions, parties, dinners, gatherings, barbeques or wedding receptions held in private residences, backyards, or parks:
– 10 people indoors
– 25 people outdoors - Limits for organized public events and gatherings in staffed businesses and facilities:
– 50 people indoors
– 100 people outdoors - Limits for religious services, weddings and funerals:
– 30% capacity indoors
– 100 people outdoors
Concerning restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments:
- Maximum number of patrons permitted to be seated indoors is 50
- Require patrons to be seated; 2 metre minimum or impermeable barrier required between tables
- Limit of 4 people may be seated together
- Dancing, singing and performing music is permitted, with restrictions
- Karaoke permitted, with restrictions (including no private rooms)
- Require patron contact information for all seated patrons
- No buffet style service
- Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metres distance and face covering required
- Face coverings except when eating or drinking only
- Personal protective equipment, including eye protection, required when is a worker must come within 2 metres of another person who is not wearing a face covering
- Night clubs only permitted to operate as restaurant or bar
- Establishments must be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Limit volume of music (to be no louder than the volume of a normal conversation)
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- Strip clubs closed or permitted to operate as a restaurant or bar
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Concerning Sports and recreational fitness facilities:
- Sports and recreational fitness facilities
- Maintain 2 metre physical distancing, unless engaged in a sport
- Maximum of 50 people total in areas with weights and exercise machines and all classes (revoke OCMOH approved plan)
- No spectators permitted (exemption for parent and guardian supervision of children)
- Team sports must not be practiced or played except for training (no games or scrimmage)
- Team or individual sports must be modified to avoid physical contact; 50 people per league
- Exemption for high performance athletes and parasports
- Patrons may only be in the facility for 90 minutes except if engaging in a sport
- Limit volume of music to be low enough that a normal conversation is possible; measures to prevent shouting by both instructors and members of the public
- Face coverings required except when exercising
- Increase spacing between patrons to 3 metres in areas where there are weights or exercise equipment and in exercise and fitness classes
- Require contact information for all members of the public that entre the facility
- Require reservation for entry; one reservation for teams
- Require screening of members of the public, including spectators (for example, questionnaire)
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Concerning meeting and event spaces:
- Maximum of 50 people indoors per facility (revoke OCMOH approved plan)
- Booking multiple rooms for the same event not permitted
- Establishments must be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Require contact information for all seated patrons
- Limit of 4 people may be seated together
- Limit volume of music to be low enough that a normal conversation is possible
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Concerning retail:
- Fitting rooms must be limited to non-adjacent stalls
- Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metre distance and face covering required
- Limit volume of music to be no low enough that a normal conversation is possible
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- Requirement to maintain 2 metres while standing in line and flow management
- For malls a safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Concerning personal care services:
- Oxygen bars, steam rooms, saunas, bath houses, other adult venues, hot tubs, floating pools, whirlpools and sensory deprivation pods closed (some exceptions)
- Services requiring removal of face coverings prohibited
- Change rooms and showers closed
- Require contact information from all patrons
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Concerning casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments:
- Maximum of 50 people
- Table games are prohibited
- Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments can operate in accordance with a plan approved by the Office of the Chief
- Medical Officer of Health
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Require contact information from all patrons
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Concerning cinemas:
- Maximum of 50 people indoors per facility (revoke OCMOH approved plan)
- Face coverings except when eating or drinking only
- Drive-in cinemas permitted to operate, subject to restrictions
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Require contact information from all patrons
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Concerning performing arts facilities:
- Maximum of 50 spectators indoors and 100 spectators outdoors
- Singers and players of wind or brass instruments must be separated from spectators by plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier
- Rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcasted event permitted
- Performers and employees must maintain 2 metre physical distance except for purposes of the performance
- Drive-in performances permitted
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Require contact information from all patrons
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
For more information:
COVID-19 response framework: keeping Ontario safe and open
COVID-19 response framework: keeping Ontario safe and open – orange
Image by WikimediaImages from Pixabay