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Sector-Specific Guidelines for Health and Safety of Businesses and Workplaces

The following section contains links to resources for a variety of sectors that are already open or preparing to open. For more sector-specific health and safety guidance, directions, legislation, and additional preventative measures to protect workers, customers, and employers, please refer to the resources provided by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, and the various provincial health and safety associations on the Government of Ontario’s website. 

Continue to monitor the Government of Ontario’s ‘O. Reg. 364/20: Rules For Areas in Stage 3’ page for the latest changes to the ‘Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act’ outlining provincial restrictions for businesses, places of work, public/private spaces, and more. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the specific rules and regulations in Stage 3 of the provincial reopening plan may be found by visiting Reopening Ontario or WECHU’s Restrictions & Guidance page.

WECHU Safe Return to Business Checklists

External Checklists

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s (CCOHS) Pandemic Planning: Reopening for Business course outlines common steps that can be taken to safely reopen during COVID-19 and will help you put controls in place to protect workers and customers to minimize the impact of the pandemic.

Farm workers, greenhouse workers, equipment operators, maintenance workers, truck drivers, administrative staff, and others working in the agricultural sector must comply with the requirements under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Businesses or workplaces employing temporary foreign workers are required to follow additional procedures upon their entry to Canada, including self-isolation.

Day camps for children may open if they operate in a manner consistent with the safety guidelines for COVID-19 for summer day camps produced by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health. Camps that provide supervised overnight accommodation for children must continue to remain closed.

Resources

Drive-in cinemas and businesses or places that provide drive-in or drive-through concerts, artistic events, theatrical performances or other performances may open if they comply with the following conditions:

  • Each person in attendance at the drive-in cinema or the business or place, other than persons who perform work for the drive-in cinema or the business or place, must remain within a motor vehicle designed to be closed to the elements except where necessary,
    • to purchase admission, food or beverages,
    • to access a washroom, or
    • for the purposes of health and safety.
  • The driver of a motor vehicle at the drive-in cinema or the business or place must ensure that it is positioned at least two metres away from other motor vehicles.
  • Every performer or other person who performs work at the drive-in cinema or the business or place must remain at least two metres apart from motor vehicles and from every other person, except:
    • If it is necessary for the performers to be closer to each other for the purposes of the performance,
    • where necessary for the purposes of facilitating the purchase of admission, food or beverages, or
    • where necessary for the purposes of health and safety.
  • Food and beverages may only be sold to persons in attendance at the drive-in cinema or the business or place if:
    • the food or beverage is sold at a concession stand that requires patrons to stand at least two metres apart while waiting to be served and that requires patrons to immediately return to their motor vehicle after being served, or
    • the food or beverage is delivered directly to the patron’s motor vehicle.
  • No materials may be exchanged between persons in attendance at the drive-in cinema or the business or place, except:
    • materials exchanged between members of the same motor vehicle,
    • materials exchanged between persons who perform work for the drive-in cinema or the business or place, and
    • such materials as are necessary to facilitate the purchase of admission, food or beverages.

Resources

A food court or other dining area that is not already described in section 1 may open if it is configured so that patrons seated at different tables are separated by:

  • A distance of at least two metres; or
  • Plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier.

Resources

*Complaints related to Restaurants should be directed to the WECHU at 519-258-2146 ext. 4475.

The Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) strongly recommends that real estate businesses follow the direction of public health authorities by limiting showings to situations where they are absolutely necessary. Real estate businesses are further advised to look into alternative technological solutions to minimize the need for in-person interactions with their clients.

  • For more detailed guidance and FAQs on how to conduct business safely and efficiently during the COVID-19 pandemic, real estate personnel and those actively looking to purchase or rent a home are encouraged to visit the RECO’s website.
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coronavirus
COVID-19
Safe Return to Business
Last modified: 
Wednesday, November 4, 2020 - 11:53am