Inspection blitz of Ontario businesses begins as new restrictions take effect

Businesses across the province will be subjected to an inspection blitz Saturday to ensure they’re following public health measures as COVID-19 cases surge.

The Ministry of Labour says 150 provincial offences officers will be deployed across the province.

They’ll focus their efforts on big box stores, bars, salons and other high-risk settings, ensuring businesses are enforcing distancing requirements, checking vaccine certificates and following other health rules.

The ministry says officers are to take an “education-first approach” to enforcement, but won’t hesitate to fine repeat offenders and those willfully flouting the rules.

The province says data from recent inspections shows most businesses are following public health rules.

On Friday, Premier Doug Ford announced further limits on capacity and gatherings at most indoor settings. Effective immediately, stadiums, concert halls and other venues are now limited to 50 per cent capacity.

Restaurants and bars will also have to close by 11 p.m., with the sale of alcohol stopping by 10 p.m. There will also be a maximum of 10 people per table at indoor dining settings and all patrons will be required to remain seated.

The province is also set to reduce indoor social gathering limits from 25 to 10 and outdoor social gathering limits from 100 to 25, effective Sunday.

Ontario is currently dealing with a wave of COVID-19 cases fuelled by the highly contagious Omicron variant, which is thought to be between four and eight times more infectious than the Delta variant that drove the last wave of the pandemic.