Ontario introduces new restrictions as COVID-19 cases rise: What it means for Windsor-Essex

Windsor, Ont. -

The rest of the province will join Windsor-Essex with reduced gathering sizes and increased capacity limits as the province introduced a new set of restrictions on Friday.

Premier Doug Ford and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore announced additional COVID-19 restrictions would be implemented across Ontario starting Saturday in an effort to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.

"The decision to limit people's ability to gather, especially during holidays, is an extremely, extremely difficult one to make," Ford said.

The new restrictions from the province include:

• Gathering sizes will drop from 25 people to 10 people indoors. Outdoor gathering limits will be lowered to 25.
• Capacity limits of 50 per cent at most indoor settings across the province. This includes places like restaurants and bars, personal care services, retailers, and shopping malls.
• Bars, restaurants and strip clubs will need to close at 11 p.m., with the exception of take-out and delivery service.
• The number of people permitted to sit at a table will be restricted to 10 people, and patrons will be required to remain seated in restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments.
• Dancing will not be allowed, except for workers or performers.
• The sale of alcohol will be restricted after 10 p.m.

These limits do not apply to any portion of a business that is being used for a wedding, a funeral or a religious service, rite, or ceremony, the government says.

The new restrictions come one day after Windsor-Essex acting medical officer of health called for stricter measures from the province due to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the region.

“I would appeal to the province to act and act as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Shanker Nesathurai during the COVID briefing Thursday. “My concern is that the chain of transmission will not be sufficiently broken with the measures that are put forth. Vaccination will help prevent people as a population health level, but it will take many weeks for that benefit to come to fruition.

The province expanded third dose eligibility on Thursday to all adults 18 and older and planned to reintroduce capacity limits of 50 per cent for indoor entertainment, sport and event venues, with an indoor capacity of greater than 1,000 people.

News Release by @ONgov - Ontario Further Strengthening Response to Omicron. A Effective Sunday, December 19 at 12:01 a.m., additional provincial measures to slow the spread will be introduced as province also accelerates booster dose rollout. - https://t.co/R6yCR4Vknz

— WEC Health Unit (@TheWECHU) December 17, 2021

Some of the restrictions announced Friday have already been in effect locally after the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit introduced its own set of restrictions which kicked in on Dec. 10 and included limiting social gatherings to 10 people indoors and 25 outside.

Chatham-Kent also implemented similar restrictions limiting social gatherings on Dec. 6.

New restrictions for the Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent areas include bars and restaurants closing at 11 p.m. with the exception of take-out and delivery, and food and drink services at sporting events, concert venues, theatres and cinemas, casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments, horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues will be suspended.

The sale of alcohol will also be restricted after 10 p.m.

Panache Ultra Lounge owner Michael Stojcic says his busiest hours will now be taken away due to the new measures.

“I don’t know if this is every going to go away or if this is ever going to change,” Stojcic said.

He’s calling on upper levels of government for financial help.

“December was a month that usually carried business through for the next two to three months of slow time,” Stojcic said. “Now it’s become like almost that crippling month.”

The owner of The Gifting Tree, Misty Sergi, sais, “It seems like it’s like a roller coaster, you never know what’s coming up the next day... The government is killing small businesses and they’re not really doing the right steps to try and get  COVID numbers down and stuff like that.”

Some retailers are hopeful the holiday spirit will help business owners and shoppers alike make it through.

Cheryl Chaney, the owner at Picture This Framing, said, “It’s what it’s all about, the season, without the pandemic or with the pandemic. We can stay happier, we can stay happier if we bring joy to others. Try to make it easier for them.”

Ford said the government will be looking into “every option to provide more supports.”

The federal government also announced on Friday it would once again be requiring all incoming travellers, regardless of trip length or location, to provide proof of a pre-arrival negative COVID-19 test in order the enter the country.

This means that as of next Tuesday, residents will once again have to take a PCR test for trips across the border, even when only away for 72 hours or less. The tests will also have to be taken in a country other than Canada.

“What’s it all mean? It just means people are gonna say it’s just not worth it,” said Martin Firestone of Travel Secure.

And likely a hit to the economy, according to Firestone.

“It’s not an immediate solve here at all and I’m quite worried it’s going to drag into early next year, early spring and even who knows what’ll even happen next summer for this matter,” he said.

The new provincial restrictions will go into effect Sunday, Dec. 19 while the new travel restrictions will be implemented as of Tuesday, Dec. 21.

— With files from CTV Toronto's Sean Davidson,CTV Windsor's Angelo Aversa and CTV Windsor's Rich Garton