Be sure to consult your local government COVID-19 measures page if you are at all unsure about the contents of this webpage
COVID-19 Provincial Recommendations
Recommendations for COVID-19 procedures for all areas of operation
Provinces
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The Quebec government uses a 4 level alert system distributed by region of the province, click here to consult a map of the current alert levels for each region. *Note that you should always follow the guidelines for the region on the highest alert level you have worked in in the past 14 days*
Level 1–Vigilance (green)
Strengthened basic measures in force
Private indoor or outdoor gatherings Maximum 10 people Activities organized in a public setting Indoors: maximum 50 people (rented halls, festival events, marriages, workplace or school celebrations, etc.)
For places of worship, the maximum allowed is 250 people
Venues with a liquor permit: alcohol sales end at midnight, no drinking after 1 a.m. and all dancing prohibited
Outdoors: maximum 250 people
Demonstrations are still permitted, but wearing a mask or face covering is mandatory at all times
Public venue halls and audiences Maximum 250 people
People must be seated, relatively immobile, little or no talking, staff supervision (concert halls, theatres, cinemas, etc.)
Bars, brasseries, taverns, casinos and restaurants Maximum 10 patrons per table
Bars, brasseries, taverns and casinos at 50% permitted capacity, alcohol and food sales end at midnight, closing time 1 a.m. and mandatory customer name and contact list
Restaurants open
Inter-regional travel Authorized Other long-term applicable measures Increased police intervention
Infraction reports and fines for non-compliance with face-covering directives
Level 2–Early Warning (yellow)
Strengthened basic measures in force
Private indoor or outdoor gatherings Maximum 10 people Activities organized in a public setting Indoors: maximum 50 people (rented halls, festival events, marriages, workplace or school celebrations, etc.)
For places of worship, the maximum allowed is 250 people
Venues with a liquor permit: alcohol sales end at midnight, no drinking after 1 a.m. and all dancing prohibited
Outdoors: maximum 250 people
Demonstrations are still permitted, but wearing a mask or face covering is mandatory at all times
Public venue halls and audiences Maximum 250 people
People must be seated, relatively immobile, little or no talking, staff supervision (concert halls, theatres, cinemas, etc.)
Bars, brasseries, taverns, casinos and restaurants Maximum 10 patrons per table
Bars, brasseries, taverns and casinos at 50% permitted capacity, alcohol and food sales end at midnight, closing time 1 a.m. and mandatory customer name and contact list
Restaurants open
Inter-regional travel Authorized Other long-term applicable measures Increased police intervention
Infraction reports and fines for non-compliance with face-covering directives
Level 3–Alert (orange)
Intermediate measures in force
Private indoor or outdoor gatherings Maximum 6 people
Activities organized in a public setting Indoor and outdoor: maximum 25 people (Rented halls, festival events, marriages, workplace or school celebrations, barbecues, picnics, etc.)
For places of worship, the maximum allowed is 250 people.
Venues with a liquor permit: no alcohol sales after 11 p.m., no alcohol consumption after midnight, dancing prohibited
Demonstrations are still permitted, but wearing a mask or face covering is mandatory at all times
Public venue halls and audiences Maximum 250 people
People must be seated, relatively immobile, little or no talking, staff supervision (concert halls, theatres, cinemas, public venues, etc.)
Bars, brasseries, taverns, casinos Maximum 6 patrons per tables
No alcohol or food sales after 11 p.m, closing at midnight
Mandatory customer name and contact list
Restaurants Maximum 6 patrons per tables
No alcohol sales after 11 p.m
No alcohol consumption after midnight
Stores 1 person per household recommended
Delivery available and key family member assistance for clients with a high risk of complications
Inter-regional travel Not recommended Sports and recreation
Travel between regions to carry out organized sports and recreational activities is permitted but not recommended, whether such activities are organized by schools, associations or private individuals
CHSLD Visits for humanitarian reasons
Visits by informal caregivers who provide significant assistance
RPA private seniors’ residence No more than 6 people at a time in a rental unit, including the resident Other long-term applicable measures Increased police intervention
Infraction reports and fines for non-compliance with face-covering directives
Level 4–Maximum Alert (red)
Mesures in force
At home
(houses and cottages)Prohibited:
- visitors from another address
Allowed:
- a single visitor from another address for single individuals (it is recommended to always have the same person in order to limit social contact)
- informal caregivers
- individuals offering services or support
- labour for planned work
Preschool and elementary school
- Only one stable class group is permitted at all times, with no physical distancing required
- Students from different class groups must stay 2 metres apart when moving around in common areas
- Extracurricular activities are suspended
- Field trips and interscholastic activities are suspended
- Special pedagogical projects may continue as long as the principle of stable class groups is respected. If this is not possible, a 2-metre distance between students from different stable class groups must be maintained at all times, and the health guidelines must be strictly respected
- The same rules apply to sports activities organized by schools and associations
- Room loans and rentals are suspended
- Wearing a procedural mask is mandatory for all school staff at all times
- School visitors must be kept to a minimum
- School daycare services are organized based on the principle of stable class groups or by creating subgroups, with a 2-metre physical distance between groups
- Students eat lunch with their stable class group
Secondary school
- All students must wear a face covering at all times in the school and on the school grounds
- Extracurricular activities are suspended
- Field trips and interscholastic activities are suspended
- Special pedagogical projects may continue as long as the principle of stable class groups is respected. If this is not possible, a 2-metre distance between students from different stable class groups must be maintained at all times, and the health guidelines must be strictly respected
- The same rules apply to sports activities organized by schools and associations
- Room loans and rentals are suspended
- Wearing a procedural mask is mandatory for all school staff at all times
- School visitors must be kept to a minimum
- Students eat lunch with their stable class group
- Secondary IV and V students attend in-person classes one day out of two. This does not apply to students with disabilities, social maladjustments or learning difficulties who are enrolled in specialized schools, special education classes or the Work-Oriented Training Path
- Optional courses must take place with 2 metres of distance between students from different stable class groups or be offered through distance education
Adult general education and vocational training - Students must wear a face covering at all times, except when seated in a classroom where a physical distance of 2 metres between individuals is maintained
- School staff must wear a procedural mask at all times, except in classrooms if they remain 2 metres away from students
- Distance learning should be prioritized for programs that are best suited to it
- In-school attendance should be prioritized for students with special needs or who are at risk of dropping out of school
- Extracurricular activities and field trips are suspended
Higher education
- As many activities as possible should be offered through distance learning
- In-class activities are allowed if students’ presence is essential for the acquisition or evaluation of learning
- Internships and labs can continue
- Libraries will remain open only to permit access to the circulation desk and individual workspaces
Sports and recreation - All organized sports and recreational activities are suspended
- Activities carried out individually or in pairs are permitted, provided that participants respect the health guidelines in effect
- Individual practice and training activities are permitted
- Indoor sports facilities may remain open for individual activities, but dressing rooms may not be used or accessed, except to use the washroom
- No competitions are allowed
- Physical fitness rooms and centres are closed
CHSLD and RPA private seniors’ residence
Visits for humanitarian purposes
Visits by informal caregivers (one person at a time and a maximum of two people per day in CHSLDs)
Private indoor or outdoorgatherings
Prohibited
Activities organized in a public place
Prohibited, except for places of worship and funerals
(maximum of 25 people and an attendance register must be kept)Demonstrations are still permitted, but wearing a mask or face covering is mandatory at all times
Inter-regional travel
Not recommended toward a green, yellow or orange zone and outside Québec
(except for essential travel, students, workers, shared custody, freight transportation)Public venue halls and audiences in indoor public places
Auditoriums, cinemas, theatres and museums are closed
Libraries other than those in educational institutions are closed, except lending desks
Restaurants
Dining rooms are closed
Delivery, takeout and drive-through orders only
Bars, brasseries, taverns, casinos
Closed
Microbreweries and distilleries, closed only for their services for consumption of food or beverages on the premises
Businesses, stores and boutiques
Open
Private professional and health services
Open only for services that require an individual’s presence
Personal and beauty care services
Services maintained
Saunas and spas are closed, except personal care provided therein
Community organizations
Services maintained
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Current public health measures and restrictions
Social circles
Due to the recent increase in cases and to ensure continued health and safety, you should limit close contact to people living in your household and maintain 2 metres physical distance from everyone else. If you live alone, you can consider having close contact with one other household.
Gathering limits
Social gatherings and events
As of September 19, 2020, the gathering limits for events and gatherings are:
- indoor: 10 people
- outdoor: 25 people
Indoor and outdoor events and gatherings cannot be combined.
This applies to social gatherings in private residences, backyards, parks and other recreational areas. This includes:
- functions
- parties
- dinners
- gatherings
- barbecues
- wedding receptions
Exceeding these limits could result in fines starting at:
- $10,000 for the organizer
- $750 for each guest
Staffed businesses and facilities
Except in regions where additional restrictions are in place (Ottawa, Peel, Toronto and York Region), the gathering limits do not apply to events or gatherings in staffed businesses and facilities, because they must already follow specific public health and safety guidelines to minimize risk and limit the spread of COVID-19. They include:
- bars
- restaurants
- cinemas
- convention centres or banquet halls
- gyms
- recreational sporting or performing art events
- religious services, rites or ceremonies
Restrictions for restaurants, bars, nightclubs and strip clubs
As of Saturday, September 26, 2020:
- restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments (including nightclubs) must:
- stop selling alcohol at 11 p.m.
- prohibit the consumption of alcohol between 12:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. by anyone, including employees
- close by 12:00 a.m.
- remain closed until 5:00 a.m., except for takeout or delivery
- all strip clubs must remain closed
- businesses and organizations must comply with any advice, recommendations and instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health on screening for COVID-19
Additional public health measures for Ottawa, Peel, Toronto and York Region
Ottawa, Peel, Toronto and York Region public health unit regions are in a modified Stage 2. We will reconsider whether these measures are still required in 28 days.
This means:
Closing high-contact locations
As of October 10, the following locations and activities must close:
- indoor food and drink service in restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments, including nightclubs and mall food courts
- indoor gyms and fitness centres, including yoga studios
- casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
- cinemas
- performing arts centres and venues
- spectator areas in racing venues
- interactive exhibits or exhibits with high risk of personal contact in museums, galleries, zoos, science centres or landmarks
- personal care services where face coverings must be removed for the service (for example, for facials or make-up)
- team sports, except for training sessions (no games or scrimmage)
As of October 13, the following locations and activities must close:
- conference and convention centres, except where there are courts
Reducing capacity limits
As of October 10, capacity limits, where physical distancing can be maintained, include:
- social gatherings and organized public events (staffed and unstaffed): 10 people indoors, 25 people outdoors — this may not be combined for an indoor-outdoor event
- tour and guide services: 10 people indoors, 25 people outdoors
- open houses: 10 people indoors
- in-person teaching and instruction (for example, cooking class, music lessons): 10 people indoors, 25 people outdoors — this does not include schools, child care centres, universities or colleges
As of October 13, capacity limits, where physical distancing can be maintained, include:
- meeting and event spaces: 10 people indoors, 25 people outdoors
- wedding receptions: 10 people indoors, 25 people outdoors
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Alberta has divided its Measures primarily between the cities of Edmonton and Calgary:
Measures: City of Calgary
Mandatory measures (as of Oct. 26)
15 person limit on social and family gatherings – indoors and outdoors – where people are mixing and mingling.
This temporary limit will be reassessed at the end of November 2020. It will be lifted when daily case numbers are down and spread is sufficiently reduced.
Applies to all social gatherings, including but not limited to:
- banquets and award ceremonies
- wedding or funeral receptions
- luncheons or potlucks
- parties: birthday, baby showers, retirement, dinners, backyard BBQs
- other private social gatherings and functions
Does not apply to structured events, including but not limited to:
- seated-audience sports/shows
- conferences
- fitness centres
- funeral service
- in-person dining in restaurants
- wedding ceremonies
- worship services
Current gathering limits and prevention measures remain in place.
Voluntary measures
- Limit your cohorts to no more than 3: your core household, your school, and one other sport or social cohort. Young children who attend child care could be part of 4 cohorts, given that child care settings have not been a high risk for spread.
- Wear a mask in all indoor work settings, except when alone in a workspace like an office or cubicle where you are safely distanced from others, or an appropriate barrier is in place.
Measures: City of Edmonton
Mandatory measures (as of Oct. 26)
15 person limit on social and family gatherings – indoors and outdoors – where people are mixing and mingling.
This temporary limit will be reassessed at the end of November 2020. It will be lifted when daily case numbers are down and spread is sufficiently reduced.
Applies to social gatherings, including but not limited to:
- banquets and award ceremonies
- wedding or funeral receptions
- luncheons or potlucks
- parties: birthday, baby shower, retirement, dinners, backyard BBQs
- other private social gatherings and functions
Does not apply to structured events, including but not limited to:
- seated-audience sports/shows
- conferences
- fitness centres
- funeral service
- in-person dining in restaurants
- wedding ceremonies
- worship services
Current gathering limits and prevention measures remain in place.
Voluntary measures
- Limit your cohorts to no more than 3: your core household, your school, and one other sport or social cohort. Young children who attend child care could be part of 4 cohorts, given that child care settings have not been a high risk for spread.
- Wear a mask in all indoor work settings, except when alone in a workspace like an office or cubicle where you are safely distanced from others, or an appropriate barrier is in place.