A state of emergency is currently in effect for all of Ontario. To find out how this impacts your business, agency or facility, refer to the Province's document: Enhancing Public Health and Workplace Safety Measures in the Provincewide Shutdown as well as O.Reg. 82/20: RULES FOR AREAS IN STAGE 1​.

The enhanced public health and workplace safety measures are in effect for all of Ontario and are anticipated to be in place until at least Thursday, February 11, 2021.

Working Remotely

Each person responsible for a business or organization that is open shall ensure that any person who performs work for the business or organization conducts their work remotely, with limited exception, for instance, where the nature of their work requires them to be on-site at the workplace. Refer to the links above for more information on working remotely.

Enforcement

Under the provincial emergency, the following enhanced enforcement authorities will be in place:

·         All provincial offences officers, including police officers, will have the authority to disperse crowds indoors as well as outdoors. For example, when a group of more than five people who are not from the same household are gathering outdoors, they can be required to leave and the premise may be closed.

·         Similar to the provision under ROA, individuals have a duty to identify when a police officer has reasonable and probably grounds that an offence under EMCPA has been committed.

·         Additionally, enforcement personnel will have the authority to issue tickets to individuals, employees and corporations in retail settings and businesses if found not complying with an order (e.g. staff member or customer not wearing a face covering.) 

For information about how emergency measures impact your workplace or business, call the Government of Ontario’s Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659.

For more information, call our hotline 1-866-468-2240 or contact your local NWHU office and ask to speak to a public health inspector.