Ontario will extend its stay-at-home order and introduce additional restriction measures, with police granted additional powers to enforce the restrictions, Premier Doug Ford said on April 16.
“We’re losing the battle between the variants and vaccines,” Ford said. “The pace of vaccine supply has not kept up with the spread of the new COVID variants.”
The province is extending the previous four-week stay-at-home order by two weeks, and limiting interprovincial travel from Manitoba and Quebec only for purposes such as work, health care services, and transportation of good and services.
The province is also giving police and bylaw officers additional authority effective April 17 to enforce the public health measures during the stay-at-home order. This includes police having the ability to ask people for their home addresses and purpose for not being at their residence while outside. Police can also stop vehicles and ask people inside the reason they have left home.
All non-essential construction will be closed as well, and outdoor recreational amenities, such as golf courses, basketball courts, soccer fields, and playgrounds will be closed with “limited exceptions.” Big box stores will only be able to operate at 25 percent capacity.
Outdoor gatherings will only be allowed for members of the same household and one more person who lives alone, or a caregiver for a member of the household.
Starting April 19, places of worship will be capped at a maximum of 10 people indoors or outdoors.
Ford is also calling on the federal government to further control the international borders.
