Current situation
- Province announces lifting of capacity limits in many indoor and outdoor settings: Starting Monday, October 25, 2021 at 12:01 a.m., capacity limits for some businesses are lifted and for others, where they opt in to requiring proof of vaccine, capacity limits will be lifted. Any business that has its capacity limits lifted must require proof of vaccination. For more information, see the Province’s October 22 news release (external link).
- Halton’s MOH issues letter of instructions to indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities: Halton’s Medical Officer of Health has issued a letter to indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities (PDF file) with instructions to implement vaccination policies requiring all individuals 12 years of age or older to be vaccinated for COVID-19 to participate (in various ways) in organized sports and recreational fitness activities in these settings. For more information, read the October 19 media release.
- Proof of vaccination now required for some settings: Patrons must provide proof of vaccination and identification with a name and date of birth that matches the vaccine receipt to access certain settings (external PDF). Vaccination receipts are available from the provincial portal (external link) or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900. For more information, read the Province’s Proof of Vaccination Guidance for Businesses and Organizations (external PDF) or the Ministry of Health Questions and Answers (external PDF) on proof of vaccination. For Halton Region’s FAQs related to the Province’s proof of vaccination, visit the COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
- Halton’s Medical Officer of Health (MOH) issues amended Instructions to workplaces: Businesses and organizations with 100 or more workers physical present at the workplace are required to establish, implement and ensure compliance with a COVID-19 workplace vaccination policy. For more information, see the September 7 media release.
Plan to Safely Reopen Ontario
On October 22, 2021, the Province announced their Plan to Safely Reopen Ontario and Manage COVID-19 for the Long-Term (external PDF).
Starting Monday, October 25, 2021 at 12:01 a.m., capacity limits will be lifted for some businesses and for others, where they opt in to requiring proof of vaccine, capacity limits will be lifted. Any business that has its capacity limits lifted must require proof of vaccination. For more information, see the Province’s October 22 news release (external link).
The Roadmap to Reopen is a Provincial plan. The Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts will continue to monitor the data to determine when it is safe to exit the Roadmap and lift the majority of public health and workplace safety measures currently in place.
For questions related to the Province-Wide Roadmap to Reopening, please visit the COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions webpage. Businesses can contact the Stop the Spread Information Line at 1-888-444-3659 with any questions about impacts to operations or employment.
Additional instructions for businesses from the Medical Officer of Health (MOH)
Halton Region’s MOH has issued an amended Letter of Instructions to businesses to keep residents safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19. These instructions are in addition to provincial regulations:
- Instructions for businesses (PDF file) took effect at 12:01 a.m. on September 10, 2021. These instructions replaced the instructions from May 8, 2021.
- Effective September 10, 2021, Dr. Meghani issued amendments to the class order under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
Sector Specific Support and Guidance
Please note: this section will be updated to reflect the Province’s announcement on October 22, 2021 (external link).
This section provides information on safety measures identified in the Provincial Roadmap to Reopen and general COVID-19 prevention information for businesses. You will also find additional guidance from Halton Region Public Health, the Ontario Government and other health and safety organizations. Select the appropriate category below for sector-specific information.
General guidance for organizations and businesses
Halton Region Public Health Guidance
Additional Guidance
Halton Region Public Health Guidance
Additional Guidance
- Ministry of Health
- Government of Canada
- Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council
- AgriHR Toolkit (note: currently access to the Toolkit is free using the code COVID-19)
- Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Financial Assistance and Supports
To access personal protective equipment, please visit:
Halton Region Public Health Guidance
Additional Guidance
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Health
- Public Services Health & Safety Association
Resources
- Halton Region Public Health
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Health
- Public Health Ontario
The following guidance is intended for operators of community and allotment gardens to ensure public safety as these spaces reopen.
Halton Region Public Health Guidance
- Halton Region Public Health
In Step 3 of the Provinces Roadmap to Reopen (external link), indoor organized public events and social gatherings are limited to 25 people. Outdoor organized public events and social gatherings are limited to 100 people.
Halton Region Public Health Guidance
Additional Guidance
- Ministry of Health
- Workplace Safety & Prevention Services
The following guidance documents are intended to support operators of group homes and other congregate settings.
- Ministry of Health COVID-19 Guidance
- Ministry of Children Community and Social Services
If you are a long-term care or retirement home administrator or employee looking for information about COVID-19 infection prevention and control, please visit Halton’s Long-term Care and Retirement Homes - Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) page.
The following guidance document is intended to support owners and operators of multi-unit housing (for example, apartments and condominiums) to ensure public safety and reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Halton Region Public Health Guidance
Resources
The following guidance document is intended for taxi and ride share companies, drivers, and passengers to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Halton Region Public Health Guidance
Additional Guidance
- Workplace Safety & Prevention Services
- Government of Ontario
Public Health and Workplace Safety Measures
- Halton Region:
- Public Health Ontario:
- Government of Canada
Public Health Agency of Canada:
Public Health Ontario:
To access personal protective equipment, please visit:
For questions related to the Regional Mask By-Law, visit the COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
Resources for businesses
Posters
Additional resources
- Halton Region Public Health
- Ministry of Health
- Public Health Ontario
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has launched a new mobile app to help make workplace health and safety resources on COVID-19 accessible to workers in Canada (external link).
Enforcement
To report an incident of non-compliance with the provincial emergency orders in Halton, please call the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 hotline at 905-825-4722. The hotline will accept non-compliance reports for the following:
A police officer or by-law officer will follow up to address the situation and describe the importance of the emergency measures. If necessary, the officer will issue a ticket or summons.
Health care settings have specific guidelines, which are established by the Ontario Ministry of Health Regulated Health Professionals Act (external link) and are enforced by the Regulatory Colleges. Halton Region will work with health care settings and regulatory colleges as deemed necessary to ensure that organizations are following Public Health direction. For more information please visit health.gov.on.ca (external link)
Please call 911 for emergencies only. To report non-compliance with Regional by-laws or to contact Halton Region Public Health, please call 311.
Guidance documents and letters
Vaccination Information for Employers
Promoting vaccine uptake is important to help reduce COVID-19 workplace outbreaks and build confidence for a safer return to work. The COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to protect your workplace from the risks of COVID-19. It is safe and highly effective at reducing virus spread and protecting against serious illness.
Workplaces can help encourage vaccination by creating a supportive environment that makes it easier for workers to get vaccinated, and by providing information from trusted sources. COVID-19 vaccination provides an important layer of protection for workers, their families and the community.
Halton’s Medical Officer of Health has issued amended instructions to businesses and organizations (PDF file), beginning September 10, 2021. These instructions require businesses and organizations with 100 or more workers physical present at the workplace to establish, implement and ensure compliance with a COVID-19 workplace vaccination policy. For more information, see the September 7 media release.
Learn more about the recommendations for businesses in Halton.
Employers can encourage workers to get vaccinated and support increased vaccination uptake with a few simple steps:
- Lead by example and get fully vaccinated.
- Share your reasons for getting the vaccine.
- Consider recruiting workplace vaccine champions to help staff understand the benefits of getting vaccinated.
- Post information about nearby vaccination clinics in common areas.
- Offer flexible work hours for employees to go get vaccinated.
Many people want to get vaccinated however they may not have the opportunity or the time to get their COVID-19 vaccines. For example, an individual may not live or work close to a clinic, or they may be concerned about side effects or unsure how to get vaccinated without a health card. Visit COVID-19 Halton Vaccination clinics for more information on where to get vaccinated as well as information about accessibility, accommodation and language supports available at Halton Region Community Vaccination clinics.
Resources:
For more resources, including translated resources, visit COVID-19 vaccine resources.
Employers have an obligation to maintain a safe work environment for their workers. To help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, a workplace vaccination policy is an important measure employers should implement to protect their workers and the public.
The Province has made COVID-19 vaccination policies mandatory in certain high-risk (external link), e.g., long term care, hospitals and others. Halton’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Hamidah Meghani, has recommended that all local employers address the need for a workplace vaccination policy to protect their workers and the public from COVID-19 (PDF file).
Assess your workplace risk of COVID-19 transmission. For example:
- How many workers are part of your workforce?
- Can workers keep at least two metres apart while performing their work?
- Are there circumstances in which masks can or must be removed in the context of workplace activities? (This includes workers, customers/patrons and members of the public entering the workplace.)
- Are workers required to be in close contact with others, at the workplace or in the community while performing their work?
- How long and how often are workers in close contact with other workers, customers/patrons or the public?
- Does your workplace have: physical barriers when workers cannot keep distance from each other, customers/patrons or the public; good ventilation; and/or personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect workers?
- Do you have workers who may be at risk for severe illness from COVID-19? Some people may have reduced immunity due to age, pre-existing health conditions or medical treatments.
- Is your workplace able to offer alternative work for people who require accommodation, for example remote work?
Workplace vaccination policies should adhere to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (external link), the Ontario Human Rights Code (external link), and privacy laws (external link).
Please note: the information provided on this webpage does not contain legal advice and should not be relied on or treated as legal advice; those for whom these recommendations are intended may seek their own legal advice for their specific circumstance.
- Identify the scope and purpose.
- Explain purpose of the policy including the risks of COVID-19. Vaccination against COVID-19 is one of the best ways to protect workers who work in a location with common areas and/or where workers can have contact with other workers, customers/patrons or the public. The Delta variant of the coronavirus is more contagious, with greater risk for severe illness and hospitalization.
- Explain who the policy applies to. Will the policy apply to all workers (i.e., not just employees but also contractors (including staff from 3rd party agencies), volunteers, students etc.)? Is there a separate policy for customers/patrons?
- Explain that the policy may change as the status of the pandemic changes and/or legislation or public health advice changes.
- Have a clear communication plan to inform workers about the policy.
- List action steps workers must take.
When determined by the employer to be reasonably necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace or in the community while performing their work, workplace policies should require workers to provide proof of vaccination of a Health Canada or World Health Organization-approved vaccine. Alternatively, workers who do not provide proof of vaccination may need to, for example:
- Indicate that they have a medical exemption, including if the reasons are temporary or permanent. The medical exemption should be written by a licensed doctor or nurse practitioner and does not need to include the reason for the exemption.
- Complete a vaccination education course, with a signed declaration stating that they have reviewed and understood the content. The vaccination education course should include information on:
- how the COVID-19 vaccines work;
- vaccine safety related to the development of the COVID-19 vaccines;
- the benefits of vaccination against COVID-19;
- risks of not being vaccinated against COVID-19; and
- possible side effects of COVID-19 vaccination.
- Set deadlines for when the actions must be taken.
Specify a reasonable date when workers must demonstrate compliance with the workplace policy.
- List available supports for vaccination.
Demonstrate your commitment to supporting workers to get vaccinated. Ways to support workers to get vaccinated include:
- providing vaccine information from credible sources or translated resources;
- supporting vaccine champions to initiate conversations with their peers;
- providing paid leave to get vaccinated;
- reminding workers that they are entitled to up to three paid sick days (external PDF), if they have side effects from the vaccine; and/or
- providing transportation support to get vaccinated.
- Provisions for unvaccinated workers
Your policy should list alternative options for workers who decline to get vaccinated for reasons protected by the Ontario Human Rights Code (external link), including those unable to complete their vaccination series for medical reasons. Some options to consider include:
- Use of additional PPE, worker relocation and modified work or reassignments.
- In the event of a COVID-19 outbreak, unvaccinated and partially vaccinated workers (who have only received one dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series) are not be permitted to work in the outbreak area. Workers without vaccination records should be assumed to be unvaccinated.
- If reassignment is not possible, consider if unvaccinated workers should receive paid or unpaid leave or use vacation days until it is safe for them to return to the workplace.
- Non-Compliance
- Outline the potential consequences for workers who do not fulfill the requirements of the policy.
- Privacy considerations
- The policy should specify how individual vaccination status of employees will be used by employers to mitigate the health-related risks of COVID-19.
- Information about workers’ vaccination information must be protected in accordance with applicable privacy legislation. Knowing your workers’ vaccination status may be important to help you take appropriate action quickly, in the event of COVID-19 cases in your workplace, to protect workers, their families, customers/patrons and the general public. This may include sharing that information with public health officials.
- When collecting information about a worker’s vaccination status:
- Identify ways to safeguard workers’ personal health information.
- Limit information collected to what is reasonably necessary, (for example, copy of the proof of vaccination for each dose).
- Keep worker vaccination information separate from their personnel file.
- Ensure personal health/vaccination information is kept in a secure manner and only used when required.
- Staff contact
- Identify who at your organization workers should contact with questions about the policy, to request accommodation, or for more information how to comply with the policy. The policy should also indicate the person to whom workers should provide proof of vaccination.
- Continued adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures
Vaccination does not replace the need for strict adherence to established COVID-19 public health measures. Employers must continue to implement all COVID-19 prevention measures for their sector outlined in provincial guidelines (external link) and Halton Region Public Health guidance including, but not limited to: screening, physical distancing, wearing of masks and eye protection, hand hygiene, infection prevention and control, and a COVID-19 safety plan.
Resources:
Ontario workers may qualify for up to three days of paid sick leave (external PDF) under Provincial legislation. The pay is at regular wages, up to $200 per day. Workers may take time off work to get vaccinated or if they have side effects from the vaccine. However, the three days are not in addition to existing paid sick days, if offered by the employer.
Employers may apply for reimbursement from the Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) for payment made under this sick leave program. The program is currently retroactive to April 19, 2021 and will end on September 25, 2021.
Resources:
More information about sick leave during COVID-19:
- Vaccination and COVID-19 prevention measures in workplaces
Workplace vaccination policies are important tools to prevent workers from being exposed to COVID-19. COVID-19 prevention and control measures are still required to prevent the spread of COVID-19 if it enters the workplace. After vaccination, continue to follow public health measures outlined to help keep your workplace safe.
- Post-Vaccination Screening and COVID-19 Testing if Symptomatic
Continue to screen employees daily using the COVID-19 worker and employee screening (external link) for COVID-19 symptoms, even after they have been vaccinated. If they have symptoms, ask them to go get tested. Vaccination can prevent severe illness from COVID-19, however people can still spread the virus to others.
- Self-Isolation after Vaccination
If an employee is fully vaccinated and then exposed to some who tests positive, they do not need to self-isolate if they do not have symptoms. If they are fully vaccinated and have symptoms, they must self-isolate immediately and get tested. Learn more about self-isolation requirements.
Visit the COVID-19 vaccine Frequently Asked Questions webpage for further information on vaccination in the workplace.
Vaccination receipts for patrons
Businesses and organizations are required to check that patrons 12 and older are fully vaccinated before they enter the building. See the following for more information on this provincial requirement:
Enhanced vaccine certificates with unique QR codes are available from the provincial portal (external link). The Verify Ontario app for businesses is now available for download in app stores. For more information read the Province’s October 15 media release (external link) and the Using your Enhanced Vaccine Certificate Frequently Asked Questions (external link).
Supports for small business owners
The Halton Small Business Centre is continuing to support Halton small businesses and working with our local community partners during COVID-19. Contact us for more information about our virtual services and programs. We’re here to help!
For more information, visit our Halton Business Blog (external link), follow Halton Business on Twitter (external link), follow Halton Business on Facebook (external link) or email smallbusiness@halton.ca. For more information about supports, programs and opportunities specific to your community, please visit your local municipality’s website.
Available supports for businesses