Ontario eases restrictions, introduces new capacity limits as hospitalizations stabilize

Premier Doug Ford (Premier of Ontario Photography/Flickr)

Ontario is easing restrictions in the province as hospitalization numbers drop, Premier Doug Ford announced on Thursday.

In a press conference on Thursday, Ford made the announcement alongside Ontario’s Minister of Health Christine Elliott and the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore.

Beginning January 31, businesses in Ontario will return to 50% capacity. Arenas, concert venues, and theatres will be capped at 500 people. Social gathering restrictions will increase to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

Restaurants, bars, and other food and drink establishments will maintain capacity limits of 50%. The same will apply to stores, including grocery stores, shopping malls, sports and recreational fitness facilities, cinemas, meeting and event spaces, casinos, bingo halls, gaming zones, and religious rites and services.

Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos and similar attractions will also be capped at 50% capacity.

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In the second step of this reopening strategy, effective February 21, Ontario will lift further public health measures by increasing social gathering limits, and removing capacity limits on indoor public settings where proof of vaccine is required — including in cinemas, indoor sports venues, and recreational facilities, and more.

On March 14, the province will lift capacity limits at all indoor public settings. Proof of vaccination will be maintained in previously outlined public settings in addition to ongoing measures.

Indoor social gathering limits will increase to 50 people indoors, and there will be no capacity limits for outdoor gatherings.

Earlier this week, the Premier had hinted at easing restrictions, and on Wednesday, Minister Elliott told reporters that there are “glimmers of hope.”

Stricter restrictions were announced just after the New Year on January 3. As numbers spiked in the province, indoor dining, nightclubs, strip clubs, and bars were closed, among other facilities with higher-risk settings. Percent positivity at the time had nearly hit 40%, and hospitalizations were doubling every seven days.

Now, Ford said, percent positivity stands at a relatively low 15.9%.

“New hospitalizations are slowing and are now doubling closer to every two weeks. Experience in our hospitals has confirmed Omicron is not as severe as Delta was,” said Elliott. “Far fewer patients are requiring intensive care than in previous waves, despite much higher rates of transmission in the community.”

Ontario reported that 4,061 people are hospitalized due to COVID-19, and 75 new deaths have taken place as of Thursday. As compared to Wednesday, there has been a drop of 71 in the number of hospitalized patients.