Human Resources Legislative Update
Ontario Announces Changes To Indoor and Outdoor Dining Rules
Date: March 22, 2021
On March 19, 2021, the Ontario government filed a number of regulatory amendments to the Rules for Areas in Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3 with respect to indoor and outdoor dining.
The Rules for Areas in Stage 1, as they apply to the Grey Zone, have been amended to permit restaurants, bars, food trucks, concession stands and other food or drink establishments to open for outdoor dining, subject to numerous restrictions. These include but are not limited to seating restrictions, physical distancing, contact tracing, capacity limits and active screening. Note that all people who are seated together at a table in the establishment “must be members of the same household, a member of one other household who lives alone or a caregiver for any member of either household.”
The Rules for Areas in Stage 2 (Red Zone) have been amended to now require that for the purpose of indoor dining, all people who are seated together at a table in the establishment “must be members of the same household, a member of one other household who lives alone or a caregiver for any member of either household.” The capacity limit that no more than 10 patrons are permitted in the establishment has been removed. It is now subject to a formula, but in any event the number cannot exceed 50 patrons. A conspicuous sign must be posted as to that limit.
The Rules for Areas in Stage 3 as they relate to indoor dining have been amended in the following way:
- Yellow Zone: more than six people may now be seated at the same table where “they are all members of the same household, a member of one other household who lives alone or a caregiver for any member of either household”.
- Orange Zone: all people who are seated together at a table in the establishment must now “be members of the same household, a member of one other household who lives alone or a caregiver for any member of either household.” There is a formula to determine capacity limits, which must not exceed 100 persons, and a conspicuous sign must be posted as to that limit.
These changes came into effect on March 20, 2021.
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