Ontario realtors association urging a province-wide ban for in-person open houses

Ontario realtors are being told to stop in-person open houses as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the province.

On Friday, the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) said that with cases rising, realtors must limit face-to-face interactions “as much as possible” and use virtual tools “first and to the greatest extent possible.”

“Today, I am calling on Ontario realtors to once again stop hosting open houses,” OREA President, Sean Morrison, said in a statement.

“Back in April, OREA called on the Province to stop open houses during the first wave of the pandemic. I am proud that our association was the first to recommend a stop to all in-person business, including open houses – advice that the Province later put into law as part of the State of Emergency.”

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He added that as with the second wave in effect, they are asking the government to ban open houses province-wide until numbers decrease again.

Earlier on Friday, Ontario reported 939 new cases  – the highest number since the start of the pandemic.

Premier Doug Ford is expected to give an announcement this afternoon on further closures in Ontario’s hotspot regions.