TORONTO — Most of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) will move to Stage Three of the province’s re-opening plan this Friday but Toronto, Peel Region and Windsor-Essex Region will remain in Stage Two for at least another week.
Premier Doug Ford announced Monday that Durham, Halton, Hamilton, Niagara, Haldimand-Norfolk, Sarnia-Lambton and York regions will all be permitted to enter Stage Three at 12:01 a.m. on Friday.
In Stage Three, restaurants in these regions will be allowed to offer indoor dining with physical distancing and other requirements in place. According to O. Reg. 364/20: Rules for Areas in Stage 3, restaurants must have the following measures in place:
• all customers must be seated when eating or drinking at the establishment
• buffet-style services are not permitted
• establishments must be set-up so patrons at different tables are separated by two metres physical distance, plexiglass or some other similar barrier
Local Public Health Unit (PHU) officials can impose stricter restrictions, such as capacity and face-mask requirements, so it is important operators know their local PHU regulations.
