Type of Intervention: Specific Action
Sectors Involved: Health, Private Sector and Businesses
Intervention Categories: Social and physical distancing measures; Reopening offices, businesses, institutions, and operations; Allowing gatherings, businesses, and services
Level of Jurisdiction: Ontario
Lead People/Agency: Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance, and Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health,
Overview: The Ontario government announced details for Stage 3 of the province’s reopening framework. This announcement centered around the rule allowing nearly all businesses and public spaces to reopen, following public health and workplace safety measures and restrictions. As of Friday, July 17, 2020, chosen public health unit regions across Ontario will be permitted to move into Stage 3. As part of Stage 3 of reopening, Ontario will be increasing gathering limits for the chosen regions, including increasing indoor gathering limits to max 50 people and outdoor limits to a max of 100 people, both subject to physical distancing requirements. As for regions remaining in Stage 2, existing gathering limits of 10 remain in place. Certain high-risk activities and places have not been permitted to open as of Stage 3, including amusement and water parks, buffet-style food services, and others.
Full details here: https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/07/nearly-all-businesses-and-public-spaces-to-reopen-in-stage-3.html
Other links: 1 2 3
Type of Justification: Advice of INTERNAL government advisory committee or group
Source of Evidence or Justification: sub-national, provincial Chief Medical Officer of Health and relevant public health experts
Evidence/Justification: This decision was made under the supervision and recommendation of the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, and several other public health experts. The decisions are also based on the observed trends from several key public health indicators in each region. It is explained that weekly, the province will continue to reassess local trends in public health indicators, including rates of transmission, hospital capacity, progress on testing and contact tracing, etc., to determine if additional regions can enter Stage 3. Additionally, the Chief Medical Officer of Health and team of public health experts will continue to monitor Ontario’s situation to determine if restrictions can be loosened, tightened, or reapplied.