Ontario speeding up reopening, aim to drop vaccine passports March 1

Ontario is speeding up its removal of the remaining COVID-19 restrictions.

Premier Doug Ford announced the new plan today. It includes lifting capacity limits at restaurants and gyms this week, a date to remove the proof of vaccination passport, and expanding booster eligibility to youth aged 12 to 17.

Masking will remain in place for a little longer, said Ford. A specific timeline to lift the masking measure will be released at a later date.

“This is an important layer of protection that will allow us to proceed with our reopening plan safely,” he said.

The changes effective Thursday, Feb. 17 are:

• Social gathering limits increase to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. 
• Organized public events increase to 50 people indoors and no limit outdoors.
• Capacity limits lift in certain indoor public spaces that require proof of vaccination including restaurants and other food and drink establishments without dance facilities, gyms, cinemas, meeting and event spaces, casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments, indoor areas of settings that choose to opt-in to proof of vaccination requirements.
• Capacity limits will remain capped at 50 per cent for sporting events, concert venues and theatres.
• 25 per cent capacity limits nightclubs, restaurants where there is dancing, bathhouses and sex clubs.
• Capacity limits for indoor weddings, funerals or religious services, rites or ceremonies are capped at the number of people who can maintain a two-metre distance. There are no limits if the location opts in to proof of vaccination or if the service is outside.

On Friday, Feb. 18, youth aged 12 to 17 years will be eligible for a booster. 

March 1 the province intends to eliminate capacity limits in all indoor public settings. At the same time, the proof of vaccine requirements will be lifted for all settings.

Businesses may choose to continue to require proof of vaccination.

To manage COVID-19 going forward, the province notes that public health units can respond to the local situation with additional measures. 

“Thanks to the efforts of Ontarians to help blunt the transmission of Omicron, our health care indicators suggest a general improvement in the COVID-19 situation in the province,” said Moore in a news release.

“We are now in a position to lift more public health measures, but it is important to stay vigilant, as we don’t want to cause any further disruption to people’s everyday lives. We must continue to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in our communities by following the measures in place and by vaccinating those who have not yet received their doses.”