IMPORTANT NOTICE
Ontario is currently in Step Three of the Roadmap to Reopen as of Friday, July 16, 2021. Visit the Current Level page for more details.
General Rules for Meetings and Events in Ontario
The Ministry of Health's Roadmap to Reopen, sets out public health and workplace safety measures for all businesses, services and public spaces, including settings in which meetings and events may occur. For specific details, see: Ontario Regulation 364/20: Rules for Areas at Step 3.
Under the Step Three of the Roadmap to Reopen, the following rules apply to meeting or event spaces operated by a business or organization (e.g. banquet halls, restaurants, bars, recreation facilities, community centres):
- At an indoor meeting or event:
- Where there is no dancing, capacity is limited to the number of people that can maintain a 2 metre distance from others at all times, to a maximum of 50% of the occupancy load for the room being used (additional restrictions for the maximum occupancy of the entire venue may apply).
- Where there is dancing, capacity is limited to the number of people that can maintain a 2 metre distance from others at all times, to a maximum of 25% of the occupancy load for the room being used, or 250 people, whichever is less.
- At an outdoor meeting or event, capacity is limited to 75%, up to a maximum of 5,000 people.
- Staff do not count towards gathering limits.
- People attending an outdoor event or gathering are only permitted to access an indoor area to use a washroom; to access an outdoor area that can only be accessed through an indoor route; or as may be necessary for the purposes of health and safety.
- Indoor and outdoor events cannot be combined to increase the allowable gathering limit.
- A sign must be posted in a location visible to the public that states the capacity limits under which the establishment is permitted to operate.
- Patrons seated at different tables must be separated by a distance of at least two metres, or plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier.
- Rooms must be separated by a partition with a hard, non-porous surface that can be easily and routinely cleaned and disinfected
- Active screening of all patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.
- Name and contact information must be collected from all patrons, kept for 30 days and only disclosed to public health.
- A COVID-19 safety plan must be prepared and posted.
* Does not apply if the premises is rented out for:
- day and overnight camps
- provision of child care or social services
- court services
- by government or for government services
Note: Different rules may apply to concert venues, theatres, cinemas, museums, etc. Please refer to Ontario Regulation 364/20: Rules for Areas in Step 3 for detailed requirements for those venues.