Cohort system in Ontario legislature ends, full attendance resumes Tuesday

The Ford government announced that the Ontario legislature will resume full attendance starting Tuesday, as the cohort system in place for MPPs comes to an end.

“We will be lifting the temporary special legislative procedures and public health measures in effect at Queen’s Park. As of March 1st, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario will resume full in-person business,” Conservative House Leader Paul Calandra said in the legislature on Monday.

“Caucus cohorts will end, and all members will be able to return to this place. Committee business will resume in-person, Question Period may have full attendance.”

However, public galleries will remain closed, which is a decision of the Speaker and not the government.

Queen’s Park has been closed to anyone but politicians, staff, and media since the beginning of the pandemic. Physical distancing rules are in place within the house, and only a limited cohort of politicians are permitted to attend at any one time.

The legislature resumed sitting last week, with legislators returning for the last few weeks of sessions before the provincial election in June.

With files from Jamie Tumelty of CityNews, and The Canadian Press