Ontario lifts capacity at restaurants, gyms; large venues increased to 50%

Capacity limits are lifting in more Ontario settings as the province continues to roll back pandemic restrictions.

Indoor settings where proof of vaccination is required — including restaurants, gyms, and cinemas — can now operate full capacity and large spectator venues can return to 50 per cent capacity.

Gathering limits in most settings have increased to 50 people indoors and 100 people indoors.

The Ford government announced the accelerated reopening earlier this week citing improving COVID indicators and the province’s vaccination rate as reasons to rolls back restrictions.

Measures lifted as of 12:01 a.m. on Feb. 17:

• Increasing social gathering limits to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors
• Increasing organized public event limits to 50 people indoors, with no limit outdoors
• Removing capacity limits in the following indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is required, including but not limited to: Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments without dance facilities; Non-spectator areas of sports and recreational fitness facilities, including gyms; Cinemas; Meeting and event spaces, including conference centres or convention centres; Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments; Indoor areas of settings that choose to opt-in to proof of vaccination requirements
• Allowing 50 per cent of the usual seating capacity at sports arenas
• Allowing 50 percent of the usual seating capacity for concert venues and theatres
• Increasing indoor capacity limits to 25 per cent in the remaining higher-risk settings where
  proof of vaccination is required, including nightclubs, restaurants where there is dancing, as
  well as bathhouses and sex clubs
• Increasing capacity limits for indoor weddings, funerals or religious services, rites, or
  ceremonies to the number of people who can maintain two metres physical distance.
  Capacity limits are removed if the location opts-in to use proof of vaccination or if the
  service, rite, or ceremony is occurring outdoors

The remaining capacity limits in the province are set to be eased on March 1 and will coincide with end of proof of vaccination requirements. Businesses and other settings can choose to continue to require proof vaccination beyond that date if they wish to do so.

The province has yet to provide any timeline for ending masking requirements but says a timeline to lift them will come later.

Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical health officer, will provide his weekly COVID-19 briefing on Thursday afternoon.