The same day the province made stark projections for Ontarians due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ford government has further reduced the number of workplaces it deems essential.
On Friday, the provincial government ordered more workplaces to close by the end of the day on Saturday, after updating an emergency order initially issued on March 23.
"We are facing a critical moment in the fight against COVID-19 and we must do everything in our power to keep everyone safe and healthy and prevent our health care system from being overwhelmed," said Premier Doug Ford in a news release. "Everyone must do their part to stop the spread and flatten the curve. If you are not an essential business, you need to close your doors, work from home if possible and play a role to help contain this outbreak. This is a matter of life and death."
Construction projects that are not considered of critical importance are among the noted workplaces that will be required to close. Essential projects that will be allowed to continue will include industrial projects such as refineries and petrochemical plants, and infrastructure projects such as new hospitals, roads and bridges. New residential projects will not be permitted to begin construction, however, residential construction that is near completion will be permitted to continue.
Pot smokers are also being forced to only buy online as the province no longer considers cannabis stores and cannabis producers an essential service. However, alcohol sellers such as the LCBO and The Beer Store will continue to operate.
A number of other services that are now being forced to close will still be able to operate through alternative methods such as curbside pick-up or delivery. These workplaces include stores that sell hardware products, vehicle parts and supplies, pet and animal supplies, office supplies and computer products (including computer repair), and safety supplies.
"We recognize the toll this outbreak is taking on business owners and workers," said Vic Fedeli, the minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. "Ontario businesses are top of mind during this unprecedented time. We know that the only way to ensure the health of our businesses and our economy is to ensure the health of all Ontarians."
The new closure order will remain in effect for 14 days but could be extended if the province deems it necessary.
Prior to releasing the updated list of essential services, provincial health officials projected a death toll of 3,000 to 15,000 people in Ontario over the next two years due to the spread of COVID-19.
The Ford government is encouraging anyone with questions about their essential business status to call the Stop the Spread hotline at 1-888-444-3659 from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m.― 9 p.m., and between 8:30 a.m.— 5 p.m. on the weekends.
The newly updated list of essential workplaces in Ontario can be found by clicking here.