Ontario Strengthens Enforcement of Stay-at-Home Order |
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The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, is strengthening enforcement of the province's Stay-at-Home order while imposing new travel restrictions and further strengthening public health measures.
The government also intends to implement the following public health and workplace safety measures effective Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.:
- Prohibit all outdoor social gatherings and organized public events, except for with members of the same household or one other person from outside that household who lives alone or a caregiver for any member of the household;
- Close all non-essential workplaces in the construction sector;
- Reduce capacity limits to 25 per cent in all retail settings where in-store shopping is permitted. This includes supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, indoor farmers' markets, other stores that primarily sell food and pharmacies; and,
- Close all outdoor recreational amenities, such as golf courses, basketball courts, soccer fields, and playgrounds with limited exceptions.
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Ontario Outlines Essential Construction Projects |
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TORONTO – The Ontario government has issued a list of construction projects and activities that are considered essential under expanded emergency orders issued on Friday, April 16, 2021, to deal with the pandemic.
The new regulations take effect Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.
Permitted construction activities include:
Construction activities or projects and related services, including land surveying and demolition services, that,
(a) are associated with the health care sector or long-term care, including new facilities, expansions, renovations and conversion of spaces that could be repurposed for health care space;
(b) ensure safe and reliable operations of, or provide new capacity in,
(i) municipal infrastructure, or
(ii) provincial infrastructure, including but not limited to, the transit, transportation, resource, energy and justice sectors;
(c) support the operations of, or provide new capacity in, electricity generation, transmission, distribution and storage, natural gas distribution, transmission and storage or in the supply of resources;
(d) support the operations of, or provide new capacity in, schools, colleges, universities or child care centres within the meaning of the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014;
Click here, to view the full list of permitted construction activities.
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Workplace Inspectors to Visit 1,300 Construction Sites |
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Targeted Health and Safety Blitz Focuses on Keeping Workers Safe in Hot-Spot Regions
TORONTO - The Ontario government will begin targeted provincewide inspections of construction sites on Friday, April 16, 2021, dispatching 200 workplace inspectors, supported by provincial offenses officers, to visit 1,300 constructions sites to enforce safety requirements. Officers will also be visiting over 500 workplaces, including big box stores, food processors, manufacturers and warehouses, in Ottawa, Toronto and York Region, which have been identified as hot spots for COVID-19.
Inspectors will be checking that employers understand the risks associated with COVID-19, including how to reduce the spread in their workplace, and that measures and procedures are in place to keep workers safe. They will also be ensuring that workers are practising safe work habits both on the clock and on breaks, checking for physical distancing and wearing appropriate personal protective equipment when required.
Hot-spot workplace inspections in Ottawa, Toronto and York Region build on recent intensified inspection campaigns in Peel and Halton Regions last weekend.
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Can you successfully implement a mandatory employee vaccination policy in your workplace? |
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Keith Burkhardt of Sherrard Kuzz LLP was the guest speaker at the Ontario Road Builders’ Association’s webinar on vaccinations in the workplace. Burkhardt spoke about whether or not employers can successfully implement a mandatory vaccination policy in the workplace.
Employers need to be cautious if they choose to implement a mandatory vaccination policy in the workplace and whether or not they can successfully implement one will depend on several factors, said Keith Burkhardt of Sherrard Kuzz LLP.
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Ontario Provides Emergency Child Care for Critical Frontline Workers |
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As Ontario schools move to remote learning due to the rapid increase in COVID-19 transmission across communities and the increasing risks posed to the public by COVID-19 variants, frontline workers will have access to emergency child care for their school-aged children, beginning Monday, April 19, 2021.
If you are a parent with a school-aged child or children and on the eligibility list identified below looking to access an emergency child care program, please contact your local service system manager for information on availability, program locations and registration.
- Health care workers, including but not limited to doctors, nurses, health care providers and those who work in long-term care and retirement homes, as well as individuals who manufacture or distribute medical/pharmaceutical supplies
- Individuals performing work in relation to the administration, distribution or manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines
- Construction workers
The complete eligibility list can also be found at the following link (please refer to Schedule 5).
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TCA Resources on COVID-19 |
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To access TCA dedicated Covid-19 Updates, click here.
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