On April 3, 2020, the Ontario government expanded the list of non-essential businesses that will be required to close while the province courageously battles to control the spread of COVID-19.

Under Regulation 82/20, the Ontario government had previously provided a list of businesses that it had deemed essential and that could remain open during the current health emergency.

However, with hundreds of COVID-19 cases continuing to be reported daily in Ontario and to prevent hospitals from getting overwhelmed with patients who contract severe symptoms of the virus, the Ontario government has decided to order the temporary closure of additional businesses that are simply non-essential at this time.

According to the Ontario government, the temporary closure of non-essential businesses will help:

  • reduce exposure and stop the spread of COVID-19 from person-to-person
  • protect workers who maintain essential goods and services
  • minimize impacts to people's livelihood and business' bottom lines
  • maintain a strong supply chain for the goods and services they need.

The government's revisions to its initial list will also restrict specified businesses to, in almost all instances, providing services to customers only through alternate methods, such as curb side pick-up and delivery. These alternate methods of customer service will apply to hardware products, vehicle parts and supplies, pet and animal supplies, offices supplies and computer products and repairs and safety supplies.

The government's revisions also applies to construction sites. Only critical construction projects and residential construction that is near completion will be allowed to remain open.

The revisions will take effect Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 11:59 pm.

The list of essential businesses and services, include:

  • supply chains
  • food
  • services
  • services to the public that are restricted to alternative methods of sale
  • financial services
  • telecommunications and IT infrastructure/service providers
  • maintenance
  • transportation services
  • manufacturing
  • agriculture and food production
  • construction
  • resource and energy
  • community services
  • research
  • health care and social services

For more information, we direct you to the Ontario government website and its sources: Stopping the Spread of COVID-19 and Ontario Extends Business Closures to Stop the Spread of COVID-19.

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