COVID-19: List of Businesses that Can Open in Ontario

Growing List of Businesses that Can Open in Ontario

On May 1, 2020 the Government of Ontario announced in a news release that some businesses will be allowed to open again amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Workplaces on this list of businesses that can open in Ontario include seasonal businesses, as well as some construction projects deemed to be essential.

Businesses approved for reopening by the government must follow strict public health measures and guidelines. They will need to observe social distancing and practice responsible hygiene in order to safeguard employees and customers from COVID-19.

As of May 1, 2020 employers that have been designated as a non-essential business are not allowed to reopen.

• Employment rights during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Your employee rights when returning to work
• Disability claim denials during the coronavirus outbreak

This list was last updated on Thursday, May 14 2020. Samfiru Tumarkin LLP will endeavour to update this list as additional businesses are added to it by the Ontario government.

May 4, 2020

The Ontario government is allowing the following business to open on May 4, 2020 at 12:01 a.m.:

• Auto dealerships (open by appointment only)
• Car washes (automatic and self-serve)
• Garden centres and nurseries (curbside pickup and delivery only)
• Golf courses (they may prepare their courses for the coming season, but are not permitted to open to the public)
• Lawn care and landscaping
• Marinas, with the following instructions:
  • they may begin preparations for the recreational boating season by servicing boats and other watercraft, and placing boats in the water;
  • boats are required to be secured or tied to a dock in the marina, until public access is allowed; and
  • marinas are not allowed to open to the public
• Specific essential construction projects that include:
  • broadband, telecommunications, and digital infrastructure;
  • child care centres;
  • colleges and universities;
  • municipal projects;
  • schools;
  • shipping and logistics;
  • site preparation, excavation, and servicing for institutional, commercial, industrial and residential development; and
  • any other project that supports the improved delivery of goods and services.

May 8, 2020

• Garden centres and nurseries (in-store payment and purchases)

May 9, 2020

• Hardware stores and safety supply stores (in-store payment and purchases)

May 11, 2020

• Retail stores with a street entrance (curbside pickup and delivery)
• Below-grade, multi-unit residential construction projects like apartments and condominiums
• Over 500 Ontario parks and conservation reserves, with remaining 115 parks reopening on Friday, May 15.
  • the public CAN walk, hike and bike in the opened parks
  • the public CANNOT access beaches, engage in camping or group activities in opened parks.

May 19, 2020

• Construction projects
  • All construction projects can resume, and limits on essential workplaces will be removed. Land surveyors are included in this list.
• Retail
  • All retail locations can open, but only under the following conditions, restrictions and guidelines set by the province:
    • Indoor malls must remain closed;
    • The retail location must have dedicated stress access or storefront;
    • Businesses can operate their in-store location if they allow customers by appointment only and/or by limiting the number of people present in the store at any given time. Retailers must restrict the number of customers per square metre. In order to meet the 2 metre physical distancing requirement, only one customer per 4 square metres is permitted;
    • Fitting rooms must feature doors. Curtains are not permitted. Use of fitting rooms are restricted to every second room, to ensure proper physical distancing and easy disinfection.
• Vehicle Dealerships and Retailers, including:
  • New and used car, truck and motorcycle dealers;
  • Recreational vehicle (RV) dealers (includes campers, motor homes, trailers and travel trailers);
  • Boat, watercraft and marine supply dealers; and
  • Other vehicle dealers of motorized bicycles, golf carts, scooters, snowmobiles, ATVs, utility trailers, etc.
• Media operations
  • Office-based media operations involving equipment that does not allow for remote working, including:
    • sound recording;
    • film and television post-production and animation studios;
    • publishing (books, magazines, software, video games); and
    • interactive digital media (programming, video game design and development).
  • Media organizations are encouraged to continue with remote operations during the Restart phase of reopening, where possible.
  • Filming or other activities that would result in a large gathering of employees, workers, performers or other roles are not allowed to resume during Phase 1.
• Scheduled surgeries (public and private facilities)
  • Non-emergency diagnostic imaging and surgeries in public hospitals, private hospitals and independent health facilities, clinics, and private practices to resume based on ability to meet specified pre-conditions including the MOH framework: A Measured Approach to Planning for Surgeries and Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic, contains clear criteria that must be met before hospitals can resume scheduled surgeries.
  • Scheduled surgical and procedural work to resume once “Directive #2 for Health Care Providers (Regulated Health Professionals or Persons who operate a Group Practice of Regulated Health Professionals)” is amended or revoked, which relies on hospitals meeting criteria outlined in A Measured Approach to Planning for Surgeries and Procedures During the COVID-19.
• Health Services
  • Allowing certain health and medical services to resume, such as in-person counselling and scheduled surgeries based on the ability to meet pre-specified conditions as outlined in A Measured Approach to Planning for Surgeries and Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as resuming professional services such as shifting Children’s Treatment Centres from virtual to in-person.
  • In-person counselling to resume including psychotherapy and other mental health and support services. Some of these services were available in-person for urgent needs. For example:
    • Addiction counselling;
    • Crisis intervention;
    • Family counselling;
    • Offender rehabilitation;
    • Palliative care counselling;
    • Parenting services;
    • Rape crisis centres; and
    • Refugee services.
• Community Services
  • Libraries, for pick-up or delivery only.
• Outdoor recreational amenities
  • Marinas can resume recreational services.
  • Pools will remain closed.
• Individual recreational sports
  • Outdoor recreational sports centres for sports not played in teams will open with limited access to facilities (e.g., no clubhouse, no change rooms, washrooms and emergency aid only). Examples of sports centres include:
    • Tennis courts;
    • Rod and gun clubs;
    • Cycling tracks (this includes BMX);
    • Horse riding facilities;
    • indoor rod and gun clubs; and
    • indoor golf driving ranges.
• Individual sports competitions without spectators
  • Professional and amateur sport activity for individual/single competitors, including training and competition conducted by a recognized Provincial Sport Organization, National Sport Organization, or recognized national Provincial training centres (e.g., Canadian Sport Institute Ontario) with return to play protocols in place and no spectators, except for an accompanying guardian for a person under the age of 18 years.This includes:
    • indoor and outdoor non-team sport competitions that can be played under physical distancing measures. This includes:
      • Water sports on lakes and outdoor bodies of water;
      • Racquet sports (tennis, ping pong, badminton);
      • Animal-related sports (dog racing, agility, horse racing);
      • Track and field;
      • Car and motorcycle racing;
      • Figure skating;
      • Fencing;
      • Rock climbing; and
      • Gymnastics.
  • Swimming pools will remain closed. Water-based sports competitions are not permitted unless done on lakes or outdoor bodies of water.
  • High-contact sports are not allowed even if they are non-team. These include sports where physical distancing cannot be practiced, including:
    • Racquetball;
    • Squash;
    • Boxing;
    • Wrestling sports;
    • Martial Arts
• Professional services related to research and development
  • Professional services related to conducting research and experimental development in physical, engineering and life sciences including electronics, computers, chemistry, oceanography, geology, mathematics, physics, environmental, medicine, health, biology, botany, biotechnology, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, pharmacy, veterinary and other allied subjects. This includes:
    • Agriculture, food research, horticulture or botany, entomological, forestry, livestock, veterinary research and development laboratories;
    • Bacteriological, biotechnology, chemical, nanobiotechnology, pharmacy, genetics, genomics, computational biology, research and development laboratories;
    • Computer and related hardware, electronic, telecommunication research and development services;
    • Geology, oceanographic, pollution research and development, and astronomical observatories;
    • Mathematics research and development; and
    • Industrial research and development laboratories.
• Emissions inspection facilities
  • All emissions inspection facilities for heavy diesel commercial motor vehicles, including mobile inspection facilities.
• Veterinary services (all services by appointment only)
• Animal services
  • Pet grooming services.
  • Pet sitting services.
  • Dog walking services.
  • Pet training services.
  • Training and provision of service animals.
  • Effective May 16, 2020, businesses that board animals (e.g., stables) may allow boarders to visit, care for, or ride their animal.
• Indoor and outdoor household services
  • Private households could now employ workers on or about the premises in activities primarily concerned with the operation of the household, including:
    • Domestic services (housekeepers, cooks, maids, butlers, personal affairs management, nanny services, babysitters, other domestic personnel, etc.); and
    • Cleaning and maintenance services (house cleaning, indoor/outdoor painting, window cleaning, pool cleaning, general repairs).
• Maintenance
  • General maintenance, and repair services can resume, and are no longer limited to “strictly necessary” maintenance.

July 17, 2020

*With the exception of specified regions in Ontario.*

• Nearly all businesses and public spaces can gradually reopen as regions enter Stage 3, with public health and workplace safety restrictions in place, while some high-risk venues and activities will remain closed until they can safely resume operations.
• Places/businesses unsafe to open:
  • Amusement parks and water parks
  • Buffet-style food services
  • Dancing at restaurants and bars, other than by performers hired by the establishment who follow specific requirements
  • Overnight stays at camps for children
  • Private karaoke rooms
  • Prolonged or deliberate contact while playing sports
  • Saunas, steam rooms, bathhouses and oxygen bars
  • Table games at casinos and gaming establishments
• Social gathering limitations:
  • Outdoor gatherings limited to a maximum of 100 people subject to physical distancing of at least two metres with people from outside their households or social circles
  • Indoor gatherings limited to a maximum of 50 people subject to physical distancing of at least two metres with people from outside their households or social circles
  • Venues where social gathering limitations apply:
    • All organized or spontaneous indoor and outdoor events and social gatherings (e.g., parties, fundraisers, fairs, wedding receptions, funeral receptions)
    • Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments
    • Concerts and live shows, including performing arts
    • Convention centres and other meeting or event spaces
    • Facilities for sports and recreational fitness activities (e.g., gyms, fitness studios)
    • Festivals
    • Recreational attractions, courses and instruction (e.g., fitness classes, music lessons, tutoring)
    • Movie theatres
    • Real estate open houses
    • Sporting and racing events
    • Tour and guide services (including boat tours)