October 22, 2021
The government of Ontario and government of Canada made important announcements in the past two days.
Today Premier Ford outlined timetables for the further reopening of the province. Most capacity limits will be lifted Monday, with guidelines and schedules set out for complete lifting of all COVID-19 restrictions by March 28, 2022.
Yesterday Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Freeland outlined targeted COVID-19 financial supports for workers and businesses that will follow the Oct. 23 expiry for most sectors of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS).
In conjunction with Minister Freeland’s announcement, Prime Minister Trudeau provided details of a new Canadian proof of vaccination document for domestic and international travel.
I have provided top line summaries of the most immediate and important policies and programs as well as the full text of the three official announcements.
ONTARIO:
The most immediate changes, coming into effect on Monday, October 25, 12:01 AM, are the lifting of capacity limits in the vast majority of settings where proof of vaccination are required, including:
- restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments;
- indoor areas of sports and recreational facilities such as gyms and where personal physical fitness trainers provide instruction;
- casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments; and
- indoor meeting and event spaces.
Limits will also be lifted in certain outdoor settings.
The government will also allow other settings to lift capacity limits and physical distancing requirements if they choose to require proof of vaccination, including:
- Personal care services (e.g., barber shops, salons, body art);
- Indoor areas of museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions;
- Indoor areas of amusement parks;
- Indoor areas of fairs, rural exhibitions, festivals;
- Indoor tour and guide services;
- Boat tours;
- Indoor areas of marinas and boating clubs;
- Indoor clubhouses at outdoor recreational amenities;
- Open house events provided by real estate agencies; and
- Indoor areas of photography studios and services.
Locations where a wedding, funeral or religious service, rite or ceremony takes place may also implement proof of vaccination requirements for services, rites, or ceremonies at the location.
This will not apply to settings where people receive medical care, food from grocery stores and medical supplies. In addition, the government intends to allow for greater capacity at organized public events such as Remembrance Day ceremonies and Santa Claus parades with more details coming in the near future.
Depending on key indicators the government has set out, other restrictions will be lifted in successive stages on November 15, 2021, January 17, 2022, and February 7, 2022 with the goal of lifting all public health and workplace safety measures, including wearing face coverings in indoor public settings, by March 28, 2022.
Click here »» to read the full News Release
CANADA
Proof of vaccination documents
A standardized Canadian COVID-19 proof of vaccination is now available digitally or on paper to residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon. It will be available in all the other provinces in time for the bump in travel in December.
Click here »» to read the full details
Business support programs
The government is proposing the following changes to business support programs:
- Extend the Canada Recovery Hiring Program until May 7, 2022, for eligible employers with current revenue losses above 10 per cent and increase the subsidy rate to 50 per cent. The extension would help businesses continue to hire back workers and to create the additional jobs Canada needs for a full recovery.
- Deliver targeted support to businesses that are still facing significant pandemic-related challenges. Support would be available through two streams:
- Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program, which would provide support through the wage and rent subsidy programs, to hotels, tour operators, travel agencies, and restaurants, with a subsidy rate of up to 75 per cent.
- Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program, which would provide support through the wage and rent subsidy programs, would support other businesses that have faced deep losses, with a subsidy rate of up to 50 per cent.
Details about the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and Hardest Hit Business Recovery Program can be found on this government web page:
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2021/10/targeting-covid-19-support-measures.html
The government also proposes to:
- Extend the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit until May 7, 2022, and increase the maximum duration of benefits by 2 weeks. This would extend the caregiving benefit from 42 to 44 weeks and the sickness benefit from 4 to 6 weeks.
- Establish the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit which would provide $300 a week in income support to eligible workers should they be unable to work due to a local lockdown anytime between October 24, 2021 and May 7, 2022.
Click here »» to read the full New Release
I will keep you informed as more details are made public.
I hope you find this information helpful.
Please contact me with any questions you may have or for assistance working through your employment and labour law matters.