Human Resources Legislative Update
Ontario Makes Further Amendments to COVID-19 Rules
Date: January 11, 2021
On January 9, 2021, the Ontario government filed three regulations made under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 amending the Rules for Areas in Stages 1, 2 and 3, which set out the restrictions in light of COVID-19.
Among other things, Ontario Regulation 6/21 makes the following amendments to the Rules for Areas in Stage 1:
- permits meeting or event space to be rented out for the purpose of collective bargaining (no more than 10 persons can occupy the space)
- extends online learning for elementary students in the 27 southern Ontario public health unit regions (see our earlier post) to January 25, 2021
- expands the list of individuals who are eligible for emergency child care.
Among other things, amendments to the Rules for Areas in Stage 2 made by O. Reg. 5/21 and amendments to the Rules for Areas in Stage 3 made by O. Reg. 4/21 make the following changes:
- adds a provision for the development of a professional sport plan for the NHL to be approved by the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- amends the rules for capacity limits for indoor and outdoor recreational activities
- prescribes outdoor recreational facilities that may open in compliance with specified conditions.
Note that on January 7, 2021, O. Reg. 3/21 also amended the Rules for Areas in Stage 1 to include a provision for the approval of a professional sport plan for the NHL by the Chief Medical Officer of Health.
These regulations are now in effect.
