Over the past few weeks Ottawa has been full of truckers and protestors demanding vaccine mandates be lifted. Although controversial, the protests spread across the country and have even influenced similar protests around the world! There have been conflicting tones between Justin Trudeau and the opposition but at the end of the day, the province is in charge of mandates and Doug Ford has just made a huge announcement. Vaccine mandates will be lifted in Ontario on March 1st.
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Say Goodbye to Vaccine Mandates
Happy Valentine’s DAY folks, Doug Ford gifted you the release of vaccine mandates! Although mask mandates will remain in place, beginning March 1st you will not have to provide proof of vaccination at any business unless they choose to continue requiring it. You can say goodbye to vaccine passports and capacity limits!
“Given how well Ontario has done in the Omicron wave we are able to fast track our reopening plan,” Ford said. “This is great news and a sign of just how far we’ve come together in our fight against the virus. While we aren’t out of the woods just yet we are moving in the right direction.
The next phase of Ontario’s reopening plan has also been bumped up to February 17th from its original date of February 21st.
Here’s everything you need to know:
- 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
- Removing capacity limits in the following indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is required, including:
Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments without dance facilities
Non-spectator areas of sports and recreational fitness facilities, including gyms
Cinemas
Meeting and event spaces, including conference centres or convention centres
Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
Indoor areas of settings that choose to opt-in to proof of vaccination requirements. - Allowing 50 per cent of the usual seating capacity at sports arenas
- Allowing 50 percent of the usual seating capacity for concert venues and theatres
- Increasing indoor capacity limits to 25 per cent in the remaining higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, including nightclubs, restaurants where there is dancing, as well as bathhouses and sex clubs
- Increasing capacity limits for indoor weddings, funerals or religious services, rites, or ceremonies to the number of people who can maintain 2 m physical distance
- Capacity limits are removed if the location opts-in to use proof of vaccination or if the service, rite, or ceremony is occurring outdoors