Ontario Announces Rules for Businesses to Open

The Ontario government will allow select businesses and workplaces to reopen this week.  The announcement was made on Friday May 1, 2020.

As of May 4, 2020 at 12:01 am the following businesses and workplaces will be able to begin operations:

• Garden centres and nurseries with curbside pick-up and delivery only;
• Lawn care and landscaping;
• Essential Construction projects including: shipping, and logistics, broadband, telecommunications, and digital infrastructure, municipal project, colleges and universities, child care centres, schools, and site preparation, excavation, and servicing for institutional, commercial, industrial and residential development
• Automatic and self-serve car washes;
• Auto dealerships, open by appointment only;
• Golf courses may prepare their courses for the upcoming season, but not open to the public; and
• Marinas may also begin preparations for the recreational boating season by servicing boats and other watercraft and placing boats in the water, but not open to the public. Boats and watercraft must be secured to a dock in the marina until public access is allowed.

The businesses will be required to obey health and safety standards as advised by Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. “We are allowing certain businesses to reopen under strict guidelines because we are confident to adapt to the current environment,” Premier Doug Ford said.

The province reminds residents that although businesses are reopening, they are advised to stay home.  This builds on a plan to reopen Ontario they issued April 27, 2020.   Halton Mayors are looking at reopening area businesses as a collective effort.