As of January 5, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. the following measures will be in place for at least 21 days (until January 27) subject to trends in public health and our health system.

Social gatherings are permitted under the following conditions:

• indoor gatherings limited to five people or fewer
• outdoor gatherings limited to 10 people or fewer

Organized public events are permitted under the following conditions:

• indoor events limited to five people or fewer
• outdoor events have no limits on number of attendees, but face coverings and/or masks must be worn when distancing (two metres or more) cannot be maintained

Weddings, funerals, religious services, rites and ceremonies are permitted under the following conditions:

• indoor services are limited to 50 per cent the capacity of the room
• outdoor services are limited to the number of people who can maintain two metres distance
• drive-in (motor vehicle) services permitted
• social gatherings associated with these services must adhere to the social gathering limits

Retirement homes

Retirement homes are exempt from organized public event and social gathering restrictions if the home is in compliance with the policies or guidance, if any, issued by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority.

Work from home

Businesses and organizations must make sure that all work is conducted remotely, unless the nature of the work requires workers to be on-site at the workplace.

Retail

All retail must operate under the following conditions:

• 50 per cent capacity
• music played is not above a decibel level where normal conversation is possible
• active screening at photography studios and services
• safety measures for vehicle test drives sales, such as a maximum of 10 minutes for a test drive, a maximum of two people in a vehicle, including one sales representative, windows must be rolled down, active screening, masking, etc.
• safety measures for shopping malls, including capacity limits, no loitering, distancing in line ups, food courts closed and active screening.

Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments, including those with dance floors (such as nightclubs) and strip clubs must operate under the following conditions:

• indoor service closed
• take out, drive through and delivery allowed
• outdoor areas open with restrictions including, but not limited to:
  • no more than 10 people per table
  • patrons must remain seated
  • no dancing or singing
  • active screening
  • limited hours for the sale, service and consumption of liquor

Meeting and event spaces, including conference centres and convention centres must operate under the following conditions:

• indoor areas closed with exceptions, such as child care, court and government services, social services, health services, collective bargaining and mental health/addiction services up to 10 people, in-person exams for limited fields/occupations up to 50 people
• outdoor areas open with restrictions including, but not limited to:
  • no more than 10 people per table
  • patrons must remain seated
  • no dancing or singing
  • active screening
  • limited hours for the sale, service and consumption of liquor

Indoor areas of facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities, including gyms, sporting events and personal training must operate under the following conditions:

• indoor closed with limited exceptions and conditions (such as athletes training for Olympics and Paralympics, select professional and elite amateur sport leagues who will operate via an approved framework from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and persons with disabilities for physical therapy)
• outdoor open with spectators limited to 50 per cent capacity and other restrictions
• proof of vaccination required for facilities with a usual capacity of 20,000 or more people

Recreational amenities must operate under the following conditions:

• indoor recreational amenities closed
• outdoor recreational amenities open

Concert venues, theatres, cinemas, museums, galleries, zoos, science centres , landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions, amusement parks, waterparks, tour and guide services including boat tours, fairs, rural exhibitions and festivals must operate under the following conditions:

• outdoor open with restrictions (such as masking on rides)
• spectators at seated events at 50 per cent capacity
• outdoor tours and boat tours at 50 per cent capacity
• drive-in and drive through events permitted with restrictions, such as distancing between cars, only permitted to leave a vehicle in limited circumstances, etc.
• indoor areas of concert venues, theatres and cinemas closed except for rehearsing or performing a recorded or broadcasted performance, artistic event or performance, with restrictions

Commercial film and television production

• studio audiences not permitted
  • Restrictions, including performers must be distanced unless necessary

Casinos and racing venues

Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments will be closed.

Horse and car racing tracks and similar venues must operate under the following conditions:

• indoor areas closed
• outdoor areas open with restrictions, including mandatory reservations, spectators limited to 50 per cent of usual seating capacity and others
• proof of vaccination required for facilities with a usual capacity of 20,000 or more people.

Personal care services

Saunas, steam rooms and oxygen bars will be closed.

Personal care services such as barbers, hair salons, tattoo parlours must operate under the following conditions:

• 50 per cent capacity
• no services where face coverings need to be removed
• by appointment only
• active screening
• music played is not above a decibel level where normal conversation is possible

Hotels, motels and similar establishments must operate under the following conditions:

• open except for any area required to be closed, such as indoor gyms, pools, steam rooms/saunas
• restaurants within the hotel or motel may offer takeout or delivery only

Short-term rentals must operate under the following conditions:

• only open to those in need of housing (does not apply to hotels, motels, lodges, resorts and other shared rental accommodation, including student residences.)
• ice fishing huts permitted with restrictions

Liquor sales and service are permitted under the following conditions:

• sale of alcohol must end at 10 p.m. and no consumption of alcohol on-premise in businesses or settings after 11 p.m., with the exception of delivery and takeout services, grocery and convenience stores and other liquor retail stores

Real estate agencies must operate under the following conditions:

• property viewings by appointment only
• no open houses

Businesses that provide in-person teaching or instruction (such as cooking classes, music classes) must operate under the following conditions:

• indoor areas closed, except for organizations that provide health and safety training (with conditions)
• outdoor areas open with restrictions in place, such as physical distancing

Driving instruction must be conducted under the following conditions:

• limited to in-person instruction for drivers of commercial motor vehicles only.

Libraries and community centres must operate under the following conditions:

• open with 50 per cent capacity, with limited exceptions, such as child care, social services

Bathhouses and sex clubs will be closed.

This list is not exhaustive. The government will continue to work with sectors on reopening plans, to ensure that they have full awareness of when they can begin to safely reopen and how. Please refer to O. Reg. 263/20 Rules for Areas in Step 2 for the complete list of measures and conditions that apply to certain businesses, organizations, places and individuals.

• Delaying the lifting of proof of vaccination requirements beyond January 17, 2022, aligned with the reopening plan that stipulated that doing so was contingent on the absence of concerning trends.
• Effective January 4, 2022, requiring the use of the enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code and the Verify Ontario app in settings where proof of vaccination is required. The QR code can be used digitally or by printing a paper copy. Individuals can download their enhanced certificate with QR code by visiting https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/.
• Strengthening the verification process for medical exemptions and clinical trial exemptions by requiring a certificate with a QR code. Organizations and businesses that are under the provincial proof-of-vaccination system will be advised to no longer accept physician notes as of January 10, 2022.
• Effective December 20, 2021, requiring proof of vaccination for youth aged 12 to 17 years participating in organized sports at recreational facilities.
• On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ontarians are strongly advised to limit their social gatherings and the number of gatherings they attend over the holiday season. Additional precautions should be taken if all individuals are not fully vaccinated or where vaccination status is unknown. Employers in all industries should make every effort to allow employees to work from home.

The full suite of measures is outlined in the backgrounder.

To further strengthen its response to Omicron and reduce opportunities for close contact as the province gets as many vaccines into arms as possible, Ontario is introducing a 50 per cent capacity limit in the following indoor public settings:

• Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments and strip clubs;
• Personal care services;
• Personal physical fitness trainers;
• Retailers (including grocery stores and pharmacies);
• Shopping malls;
• Non-spectator areas of facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities (e.g. gyms);
• Indoor recreational amenities;
• Indoor clubhouses at outdoor recreational amenities;
• Tour and guide services; and
• Photography studios and services; and
• Marinas and boating clubs.

These limits do not apply to any portion of a business or place that is being used for a wedding, a funeral or a religious service, rite, or ceremony. Businesses or facilities will also need to post a sign stating the capacity limits that are permitted in the establishment.

To further reduce the spread of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, additional protective measures are also being applied:

• The number of patrons permitted to sit at a table will be limited to 10 people and patrons will be required to remain seated in restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments, meeting and event spaces and strip clubs.
• Bars and restaurants, meeting and event spaces and strip clubs will be required to close by 11 p.m. Take out and delivery will be permitted beyond 11 p.m.
• Dancing will not be allowed except for workers or performers.
• Food and/or drink services will be prohibited at sporting events; concert venues, theatres and cinemas; casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments; and horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues.
• The sale of alcohol will be restricted after 10 p.m. and consumption of alcohol in businesses or settings after 11 p.m.

In addition, to mitigate COVID-19 transmission that can occur at informal social gatherings, the province is also reducing social gathering limits to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

These restrictions will come into effect on 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, December 19, 2021.

These measures include:

• Reducing social gathering limits to five people indoors and 10 people outdoors.
• Limiting capacity at organized public events to five people indoors.
• Requiring businesses and organizations to ensure employees work remotely unless the nature of their work requires them to be on-site.
• 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.
• Retail settings, including shopping malls, permitted at 50 per cent capacity. For shopping malls physical distancing will be required in line-ups, loitering will not be permitted and 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.
• Public libraries limited to 50 per cent capacity.
• Closing indoor dining at restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments. Outdoor dining with restrictions, takeout, drive through and delivery is permitted.
• Restricting the sale of alcohol after 10 p.m. and the consumption of alcohol on-premise in businesses or settings after 11 p.m. with delivery and takeout, grocery/convenience stores and other liquor stores exempted.
• Closing indoor concert venues, theatres, cinemas, rehearsals and recorded performances permitted with restrictions.
• Closing museums, galleries, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens 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 horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues. Outdoor establishments permitted to open with restrictions and with spectator occupancy limited to 50 per cent capacity. Boat tours permitted at 50 per cent capacity.
• Closing indoor sport and recreational fitness facilities including gyms, except for athletes training for the Olympics and Paralympics and select professional and elite amateur sport leagues. Outdoor facilities are permitted to operate but with the number of spectators not to exceed 50 per cent occupancy and other requirements.
• All publicly funded and private schools will move to remote learning starting January 5 until at least January 17, subject to public health trends and operational considerations.
• School buildings would be permitted to open for child care operations, including emergency child care, to provide in-person instruction for students with special education needs who cannot be accommodated remotely and for staff who are unable to deliver quality instruction from home.
• During this period of remote learning, free emergency child care will be provided for school-aged children of health care and other eligible frontline workers.

Please view the regulation for the full list of mandatory public health and workplace safety measures.

As part of a comprehensive plan to support workers and businesses, the government is announcing an Ontario COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant for small businesses that are subject to closure under the modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen. It will provide eligible small businesses with a grant payment of $10,000.

Eligible small businesses include:

• Restaurants and bars;
• Facilities for indoor sports and recreational fitness activities (including fitness centres and gyms);
• Performing arts and cinemas;
• Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions;
• Meeting or event spaces;
• Tour and guide services;
• Conference centres and convention centres;
• Driving instruction for individuals; and
• Before- and after- school programs.

Eligible businesses that qualified for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant and that are subject to closure under modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen will be pre-screened to verify eligibility and will not need to apply to the new program. Newly established and newly eligible small businesses will need to apply once the application portal opens in the coming weeks. Small businesses that qualify can expect to receive their payment in February.

Further, online applications for the previously-announced Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program will open on January 18. This program will provide eligible businesses that are required to close or reduce capacity with rebate payments for up to 100 per cent of the property tax and energy costs they incur while subject to public health measures in response to the Omicron variant.

Eligible businesses required to close for indoor activities, such as restaurants and gyms, will receive a rebate payment equivalent to 100 per cent of their costs. Those required to reduce capacity to 50 per cent, such as smaller retail stores, will receive a rebate payment equivalent to 50 per cent of their costs. A complete list of eligible businesses will be provided prior to the launch of the application portal.

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. Additionally, this plan outlines further easing of public health measures on the proposed dates below (subject to change). It is important to note that to manage COVID-19 over the long-term, local and regional responses by public health units may be deployed based on local context and conditions.

The Cambridge Chamber of Commerce has set up a platform to assist local small businesses with ordering your free workplace self screening kits & masks. You can visit Chamber Check & follow the steps outlined. The workplace self screening kits & masks are free and available to small businesses (> 150 employees) in the Region of Waterloo.

The province has developed numerous resources and information to provide sector specific guidance for keeping employees and workplaces healthy and safe.

The province has also developed a guide for employers looking to develop workplace safety plans. Whether you are currently operating or planning for your workers to return to work, the guide will help you develop a plan to work safely. It will help prepare you to put controls into place to make the workplace safer for everyone. 

You can also view a restaurant specific guide on Updates and resources for food service operators.

If your business requires personal protective equipment (PPE), the Province of Ontario has developed a directory of Workplace PPE Suppliers.  If your business is a manufacturer or supplier of PPE, you may apply to have your business listed in this directory.

Listing of local businesses supplying PPE: 

To have your business added to this listing, please contact our staff at invest@cambridge.ca.

Ontario Made is a celebration of Ontario Manufacturing led by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters.  Manufacturers are encouraged to add their Ontario Made products to the searchable website and receive a digital Ontario Made logo to promote the very best that the province has to offer.

Please visit the Ontario Made website for further details on how to participate and support Ontario manufacturers.

Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: Support for Canadians and Businesses - this plan includes:

• Rent and Property Expenses Support - Depending on the period a business is applying for, they may be eligible to claim commercial rent or property expenses through one of the following:
  • Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy
  • Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program
  • Hardest-Hit Businesses Recovery Program
• Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) - The Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) provides businesses heavily impacted by COVID-19, access guaranteed, low-interest loans of $25,000 to $1 million to cover operational cash flow needs.
• Jobs and Growth Fund - The Jobs and Growth Fund is a $700-million program that supports regional job creation and positions local economies for long-term growth. This includes up to $70 million dedicated to businesses created after January 2020.

  The Fund will help businesses and organizations that:

  • support the transition to a green economy
  • foster an inclusive recovery
  • enhance Canada's competitiveness through digital adoption to improve productivity and manufacturing processes
  • strengthen capacity in sectors critical to Canada's recovery and growth
• Wages and Hiring Support - Businesses may be eligible for a subsidy to cover part of their employee wages. This subsidy will enable businesses to re-hire workers, help prevent further job losses, and ease back into normal operations.  Four streams are available: 
  • Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program
  • Hardest-Hit Businesses Recovery Program
  • Canada Recovery Hiring Program
  • Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
• Work Sharing - The governments has extended the maximum duration of the Work-Sharing program from 38 weeks to 76 weeks for employers affected by COVID-19.
• Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) will provide bridge financing to Canada’s largest employers, whose needs during the pandemic are not being met through conventional financing, in order to keep their operations going. The additional liquidity provided through LEEFF will allow Canada’s largest businesses and their suppliers to remain active during this difficult time, and position them for a rapid economic recovery (announced May 11, 2020).  Applications for LEEFF may be made through the Canada Investment Development Corporation.

** Please note - this is a list of the programs staff receive the most inquiries regarding.  For a comprehensive list of all available programs and supports, please visit the federal economic response plan website.

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): Resources for Canadian Businesses

Ontario's Action Plan:  Responding to COVID-19

Reopening Ontario after COVID-19 - Reopening the province will be gradual and occur in stages, allowing health officials to assess conditions prior to progressing to the next stage.

Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program (applications open January 18, 2022): Eligible businesses that are required to close or reduce capacity will receive rebate payments for a portion of the property tax and energy costs they incur while subject to these measures. Eligible businesses required to reduce capacity to 50 per cent, such as smaller retail stores, will receive a rebate payment equivalent to 50 per cent of their costs, while businesses required to close for indoor activities, such as restaurants and gyms, will receive a rebate payment equivalent to 100 per cent of their costs.

COVID-19: Tackling the Barriers - The province has launched a portal to allow businesses to request temporary changes in rules and regulations in an effort to remove barriers that are hindering business and negatively impacting Ontario's supply chain. Businesses working to retool their operations to produce health-related products, or those that want to continue their operations in this new environment of physical distancing, can submit any potential roadblocks to the website (announced April 28, 2020)

Workplace Health and Safety Resources - Ontario is releasing safety guidelines to protect workers, customers and the general public from COVID-19 as it prepares for a gradual reopening of the provincial economy. Sector guidelines contain recommendations and tips for employers on how to keep workers safe on the job.

Waterloo Region entered a modified Stage 2 of the provincial framework on January 5, 2022 and in recognition of the hardships this places on certain industries, eligible businesses will be able to apply to the province for rebates on 

• municipal and education property taxes
• energy costs, including electricity and natural gas (or where natural gas is not available, propane and heating oil)
• More information on rebates for businesses located in communities falling into restricted access categories of the provincial framework may be found on the Ontario business support webpage.

** Please note - this is a list of the programs staff receive the most inquiries regarding.  For a comprehensive list of all available programs and supports, please visit the provincial economic response plan website.

Digital Main Street Program

The Ontario government, in partnership with the federal government, is helping small businesses reach more customers through the Digital Main Street platform. It is a $57-million program which will help up to 22,900 Ontario businesses create and enhance their online presence and generate jobs for more than 1,400 students.

Through the $57-million contribution to the Digital Main Street platform, businesses will be able to take advantage of three new programs to support their digital transformation:

• ShopHERE powered by Google will leverage Ontario's strengths by hiring highly skilled and trained students to build and support the launch of online stores for businesses that previously did not have the capacity to do so themselves. The core goal will be to help small businesses compete and grow, in a world that is increasingly online, and help them recover as quickly as possible following COVID-19.

• Future-Proofing Main Street will provide specialized and in-depth digital transformation services and support that helps existing main-street firms adapt to changes in their sector and thrive in the new economy. By leveraging teams of digital marketing professionals and talented students, these firms will be able to create new online business models, develop and implement digital and e-commerce marketing strategies, and maximize digital tools, platforms and content.

For more information regarding these grants, please visit Digital Main Street.

COVID-19 Collaboration Platform

FedDev Economic Development Newsletter and Resources

Regional Relief and Recovery Fund - Priority may be given to SMEs in the manufacturing, technology, tourism and other sectors key to the region, that are major employers in small communities or that support the government’s commitment to underrepresented groups.

Financial Support for Entrepreneurs Impacted by Coronavirus

Business Continuity Plan and Templates for Entrepreneurs 

Webinar:  How to cope with the impacts of COVID-19 on your business

Region of Waterloo

The Region of Waterloo, all seven area municipalities, Waterloo EDC (Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation) the Greater K-W Chamber of Commerce, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, Communitech, and local partners have created the Business and Economic Support Team of Waterloo Region (BESTWR) to help all types of local businesses cope with challenges caused by COVID-19.

COVID-19 Safe Ambassador Program - The COVID-19 Safe Ambassador program is a free service from the Greater Kitchener Waterloo and Cambridge Chambers of Commerce and the Region of Waterloo to help businesses operate safely.

In collaboration with NSF International, a global public health and safety organization, they are providing free education and one-on-one guidance to help small & medium sized businesses in Waterloo Region  to minimize COVID-19 risks.

When you participate in this program, an NSF-trained ambassador will visit your business for approximately 30-45 minutes. During their visit, the ambassador will ask a few questions, and  provide educational information and one-on-one consultations to help you better understand the COVID-19 risks and requirements based on the most recent provincial operating requirements. Ambassadors are employed by NSF International and are simply ready to help!  Visit the Region of Waterloo's COVID-19 Safe Ambassador Program website for further information on this beneficial program.

Stats and Self Assessment Tool

Guidelines for Food Premises COVID-19 (released March 20, 2020)

Guidelines for Personal Service Settings Covid-19 (released March 20, 2020)

Canadian Business Resilience Network

Chamber Business Ready - This project was founded through the teamwork of the BESTWR. As the Ontario government has begun easing up on some restrictions and businesses are starting to re-open, this new training platform, Chamber Business Ready, has been pre-loaded with training to keep you up to date on the Region’s guidelines.

You can expect to find the latest training content such as hand hygiene for office and frontline workers, how to protect yourself from viruses, mental health resources, and tips for working from home. New content will continually be added and updated as guidelines change.

The MLTSD has developed a number of workplace resources for businesses to help them operate safely:

COVID-19 Workplace Resources

Signage for Businesses