Human Resources Legislative Update

Ontario Reduces Certain Capacity Limits in Light of Omicron Variant

Human Resources Legislative Update

Ontario Reduces Certain Capacity Limits in Light of Omicron Variant

Date: December 16, 2021

On December 15, 2021, the Ontario government announced that in light of the Omicron variant, it is reducing capacity limits to 50% for the following indoor venues with a usual capacity of 1000 persons or more:

  • facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities
  • entertainment facilities such as concert venues, theatres and cinemas
  • racing venues
  • meeting and event spaces
  • studio audiences in commercial film and television production
  • museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions
  • casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
  • fair, rural exhibitions, and festivals.

This new capacity limit comes into effect on December 18, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. (Editor’s note: these changes are found in O. Reg. 863/21, published on December 17, 2021.)

The government also announced it is:

  • expanding eligibility for booster shots to those ages 18 and over and is shortening the interval to three months following an individual’s second dose, effective December 20, 2021
  • distributing free rapid test kits through pop-up testing sites in high-traffic settings (e.g. malls, transit hubs).