15.56°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

b-c-governments-decision-to-shut-public-employee-directory-sparks-transparency-debate
BCAug 19, 2026

B.C. Government’s Decision to Shut Public Employee Directory Sparks Transparency Debate

The B.C. government’s decision under Premier David Eby to suddenly shut down its online directory of government employees to the general public has sparked a political controversy in the province. Opposition parties have accused the government of hiding information from the public and undermining transparency. The government, however, says the decision was made to protect employees’ safety, privacy and cybersecurity. Through the directory, members of the public could previously find out which employees worked in different government departments, their positions and how to contact them. Lan
poilievre-targets-liberal-government-over-catch-and-release-bail-system
CanadaAug 19, 2026

Poilievre Targets Liberal Government Over ‘Catch-and-Release’ Bail System

The issue of bail for serious offenders in Canada has once again come under the spotlight. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has criticized the Liberal government, accusing it of allowing dangerous offenders to remain in the community because of what he calls weak bail laws. Poilievre pointed to a recent incident in Windsor, Ont., involving 22-year-old Qasim Sabi, who has been accused of sexually assaulting two young boys. Police say Sabi was already facing allegations in an earlier case and was out under court-ordered conditions when the latest incidents allegedly occurred. According to po
canadas-wildfire-season-could-rank-among-countrys-worst-on-record
CanadaAug 19, 2026

Canada’s wildfire season could rank among country’s worst on record

Canada’s 2026 wildfire season is on track to become the country’s fourth-worst on record, with millions of hectares already affected and hundreds of fires still active. Federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski said during a virtual briefing Tuesday evening that the country remains in the middle of the wildfire season, with some regions facing difficult and uncertain conditions. According to the federal government, about 4.1 million hectares have been affected by wildfires so far this season. Roughly 580 fires are currently active across Canada, including about 30 that remain
b-c-conservative-leader-attacks-eby-government-over-forestry-decline
BCAug 18, 2026

B.C. Conservative Leader Attacks Eby Government Over Forestry Decline

B.C. Conservative Party Leader John Rustad has accused Premier David Eby of blaming U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs for the province’s forestry-sector decline in an attempt to hide his government’s own failures. In a statement Tuesday, Rustad said U.S. tariffs are harmful and should be strongly opposed. However, he said forestry production in B.C.’s Interior began declining as early as 2016, long before Trump returned to office, and has now fallen by about 50 per cent. According to Rustad, poor provincial policies, permit processes that can take two to three years, and uncertaint
trumps-presidency-delays-quebec-sovereignty-referendum-says-parti-québécois
CanadaAug 18, 2026

Trump’s Presidency Delays Quebec Sovereignty Referendum, Says Parti Québécois

Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says his party would not hold a referendum on Quebec sovereignty while Donald Trump remains president of the United States. St-Pierre Plamondon says the party still intends to hold a referendum on whether Quebec should separate from Canada during its first mandate if elected. However, he says such a crucial decision about Quebec’s future requires a clear and calm debate. He says the referendum debate should not be disrupted by American politics or unexpected announcements from the U.S. president. According to St-Pierre Plamondon, the unpredic

Related News