ONTARIO: Province announces new lockdown rules, hair salons can stay open

ONTARIO: Province announces new lockdown rules, hair salons can stay open

The rules also allow for outdoor fitness classes in grey zones and increase outdoor capacity for weddings and funerals for all colour zones

There are five colour-coded zones in the Ontario COVID-19 Response Framework.

The provincial government announced some changes to its lockdown rules today that will allow more businesses to stay open even if the region is placed in the grey/lockdown zone.

Starting March 29 the new lockdown measures will allow outdoor fitness classes, outdoor training for team and individual sports, and outdoor personal training. Classes will still have to be limited to a maximum of 10 participants with physical distancing requirements.

As of April 12, hair salons and other personal care services will no longer be required to close if their region enters (or is already in) the grey/lockdown zone. These establishments were previously required to close under grey/lockdown restrictions.

According to today’s announcement and a news release from the province, personal care settings such as barber shops, hair and nail salons, and body art establishments can continue to operate during a lockdown at 25 per cent capacity to a maximum of five patrons, whichever is fewer.

The other change to lockdown regulations today allows restaurants, bars, and other food or drink establishments to offer outdoor dining even in the grey/lockdown zones. Previously, restaurants were limited to curbside pickup and delivery only under lockdown rules.

The final update announced by the province today includes new rules around outdoor capacity limits for weddings, funerals and religious services under any of the five colour-coded zones in the COVID-19 Response Framework.

Starting March 29, outdoor capacity for those services is limited only by the ability of individuals to maintain two meters of physical distancing. The change doesn’t apply to social gatherings associated with these services, such as receptions.

Click here to read the colour-coded COVID-19 Response Framework.

In northern Ontario, two regions are at in lockdown — Public Health Sudbury and Districts and Thunder Bay.

The Porcupine Health Unit, Algoma and North Bay/Parry Sound are currently at the yellow - protect level. The Timiskaming Health Unit was moved to red - control (one level below lockdown) today. The Northwestern Health Unit is also in red.