Ontario returned to the modified version of Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen on January 5, 2022 these protocols will be in effect until January 31, subject to trends in public health and health system indicators.

The current measures in place include:

• Reducing social gathering limits to 5 people indoors and 10 people outdoors.
• Limiting capacity at organized public events to 5 people indoors.
• Retail settings, including shopping malls, permitted at 50 per cent capacity. Food courts will be required to close.
• Personal care services permitted at 50 per cent capacity and other restrictions. Saunas, steam rooms, and oxygen bars closed.
• Closing indoor meeting and event spaces with limited exceptions but permitting outdoor spaces to remain open with restrictions.
• Closing indoor dining at restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments. Outdoor dining with restrictions, takeout, drive through and delivery is permitted.
• Closing indoor concert venues, theatres, cinemas.
• Closing museums, galleries, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites and similar attractions, amusement parks and waterparks, tour and guide services and fairs, rural exhibitions, and festivals. Outdoor establishments permitted to open with restrictions and with spectator occupancy, where applicable, limited to 50 per cent capacity.
• Closing indoor sport and recreational fitness facilities including gyms. Outdoor facilities are permitted to operate but with the number of spectators not to exceed 50 per cent occupancy and other requirements.
• Limiting capacity at indoor weddings, funerals, and religious services, rites and ceremonies to 50 per cent capacity of the particular room. Outdoor services are limited to the number of people that can maintain 2 metres of physical distance. Social gatherings associated with these services must adhere to the social gathering limits.

A full list of measures can be found in the news release.

On January 20, 2022 the Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, released details of steps to cautiously and gradually ease public health measures, starting on January 31, 2022.

In the absence of concerning trends in public health and health care indicators, Ontario will follow a cautious and phased approach to lifting public health measures, with 21 days between each step.

Starting January 31, 2022

Effective January 31, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. Ontario will begin the process of gradually easing restrictions, while maintaining protective measures, including but not limited to:

• Increasing social gathering limits to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
• Increasing or maintaining capacity limits at 50 per cent in indoor public settings, including but not limited to:
  • Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments without dance facilities;
  • Retailers (including grocery stores and pharmacies)
  • Shopping malls;
  • Non-spectator areas of sports and recreational fitness facilities, including gyms;
  • Cinemas;
  • Meeting and event spaces;
  • Recreational amenities and amusement parks, including water parks;
  • Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos and similar attractions; and
  • Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
  • Religious services, rites, or ceremonies.
• Allowing spectator areas of facilities such as sporting events, concert venues and theatres to operate at 50 per cent seated capacity or 500 people, whichever is less.

Enhanced proof of vaccination, and other requirements would continue to apply in existing settings.

To read the full press release click here.

As of September 22, 2021, proof of full COVID-19 vaccination (two doses, plus 14 days) with photo ID is required to access the certain public settings and facilities, including:

• restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments
• meeting and event spaces (with limited exceptions)
• facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities and personal physical fitness training (with limited exemptions)
• casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
• concert venues, theatres and cinemas
• horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues
• any of the following outdoor areas that have a normal capacity of 20,000 or more people:
  • outdoor meeting and event spaces (with limited exemptions)
  • outdoor facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities, including waterparks and personal physical fitness training (with limited exemptions)
    • Includes gyms, fitness/sporting/recreational facilities, pools, leagues, sporting events, waterparks, and indoor areas of facilities where spectators watch events
  • outdoor concert venues, theatres and cinemas
  • outdoor horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues

As of January 4, 2022, the enhanced vaccine certificate with official QR code will be required to access certain businesses and organizations. Vaccine receipts without a QR code will no longer be accepted as valid proof of vaccination.

Find out how to get your vaccine certificate.

The Canadian border is open to American citizens and permanent residents, who are currently residing in the United States, and have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. 

Learn more about the requirements for entering Canada

Effective September 7, 2021, Canada’s borders are open to any fully vaccinated international travellers who have completed the full course of vaccination with a Government of Canada-accepted vaccine at least 14 days prior to entering Canada and who meet specific entry requirements.

On November 8, 2021, the United States openned its land and sea border to non-essential fully vaccinated Canadian travellers.