Ontario looking to limit non-essential gatherings to 5 people

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said his cabinet will discuss Saturday whether to lower the limit for non-essential gatherings from 50 people down to five people.

If approved, the order would come into effect Saturday evening, the premier said at a press conference.

“We all need to do our part to stay ahead of this terrible, terrible virus,” he said.

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Families with more than five people would be exempt, and so would essential businesses and child care centres.

The province would also look at making funerals exempt, Ford said, hoping funeral homes could find workarounds such as letting grieving guests into a room 10 at a time.

For the most part, Ford thinks people “get it” and are already following physical distancing advice.

“When I look out the window of Queen’s Park, I never see more than two or three people jogging or walking.”

Ford said he’d provide an update on whether gatherings will be limited to five people later Saturday.