15.89°C Vancouver

Apr 7, 2021 8:29 PM -

Ontario issues stay-at-home order

Share On
ontario-issues-stay-at-home-order
Police talk with people as they gather in a park amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in Montreal, Sunday, April 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Ontario residents are facing new stay-at-home orders as officials in several provinces tighten restrictions and crack down on rule-breakers in a race against COVID-19 and its variants.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the order will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday and it will mean stores selling essential items can stay open but will only be permitted to sell grocery and pharmacy items.

Premier Doug Ford says his government will declare its third state of emergency of the pandemic to invoke the new measures.

He says the order is necessary to fight the third wave of the pandemic that threatens to overwhelm the health-care system.

Stores providing essential goods will remain open during the four-week period, but will only be permitted to sell grocery and pharmacy items.

The announcement means Ontarians will join residents of Quebec and Alberta in waking up to new restrictions Thursday.

The move comes a day after Premier Jason Kenney said widespread rule-breaking forced his government to shut down indoor dinning, curb indoor fitness and reduce retail capacity.

Quebecers in hot spots also prepared for new restrictions on gyms and faith gatherings, while officials expanded access to COVID-19 vaccines for essential workers like teachers and first responders in Montreal.

Latest news

trump-arrives-in-alaska-talks-with-putin-on-ukraine-war
WorldAug 15, 2025

Trump arrives in Alaska, talks with Putin on Ukraine war

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are holding talks on the Ukraine war in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. The meeting is taking place behind closed doors. Trump waited on the plane for about half an hour for Putin to arrive in Alaska. Putin is in the US after 10 years. He was welcomed by a red carpet at the airport. The two leaders were initially expected to meet privately, but now senior American and Russian officials have also joined them. Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not invited to the meeting, says Ukraine trusts the US but there is no indication that Russia
be-safe-around-tracks-and-trains
BCAug 15, 2025

White Rock RCMP appeals to be safe around tracks and trains

White Rock RCMP is reminding the public that trains can move without warning, stay off the tracks, follow signals and use designated crossings. On the evening of August 13, around 7:15 p.m., White Rock RCMP responded to a train stopped blocking the crossing near the pier head. While the train was stationary, some pedestrians, including parents with children crawled under it or walked along the tracks instead of using the Balsam Street crossing. This is extremely dangerous. A stopped train can move without warning, and anyone underneath or on the tracks is at serious risk of injury or death. Po
officials-hope-rain-clear-heavy-smoke-from-wildfire-near-port-alberni-b-c
BCAug 15, 2025

Officials hope rain clear heavy smoke from wildfire near Port Alberni, B.C.

Officials on Vancouver Island are hoping rain in the forecast can help clear up the air quality muddied by an out-of-control wildfire. The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District says wildland firefighters have said the rain may improve air quality locally, but that it's hard to be certain. The west central region is under an air quality statement, along with parts of Vancouver Island's east coast and the Sunshine coast region on the B.C. mainland. The intense Mount Underwood wildfire has grown to more than 34 square kilometres, with fire behaviour that the BC Wildfire Service says is "unusual" fo
first-nation-in-b-c-says-41-more-graves-found-by-penetrating-radar-at-school-site
BCAug 15, 2025

First Nation in B.C. says 41 more graves found by penetrating radar at school site

The shishalh First Nation says 41 ``additional unmarked graves'' have been found as a result of a search with ground-penetrating radar on the site of a former residential school. The nation on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast says a team has been scanning the area around the St. Augustine's Residential School site for the last 18 months, at locations identified through interviews with survivors. It says the discovery brings the number of suspected graves at the site to 81, after initial findings that were announced in 2023. First Nations communities have tended to use careful language when an
air-canada-flight-attendants-in-final-day-before-strike-deadline
CanadaAug 15, 2025

Air Canada, flight attendants in final day before strike deadline

The union representing Air Canada's flight attendants has formally rejected the airline's request to enter binding arbitration. Air Canada had requested federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu step in and direct the parties to enter binding arbitration.   Now the Air Canada component of CUPE says Hajdu should also deny Air Canada's request for intervention saying --quote-- "Air Canada appears to have anticipated government intervention and has opted to suspend meaningful discussions, contrary to its legal obligation to bargain in good faith.''   Air Canada's executive vice-president has sa

Related News