Ontario’s province-wide shutdown — intended to slow the community transmission of COVID-19 and to prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed by COVID-19 hospitalizations in the new year — began at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday (December 26) and remains in effect until at least Saturday, January 23rd in southern Ontario.

Here’s a summary of what’s allowed and not allowed during the province-wide shutdown in southern Ontario.

General public health measures

Anyone lining up either inside or outside a business or other location must maintain a physical distance of two metres from others and wear a mask or face covering that covers their mouth, nose, and chin.

Workplaces must screen any workers or essential visitors entering the work environment.

Social gatherings

No indoor organized public events or social gatherings are allowed, except with members of the same household (the people you live with). People who live alone and single parents may have exclusive close contact with one other household.

Outdoor organized public events or social gathering are limited to 10 people, who must maintain a physical distance of two metres from others.

Where physical distancing can be maintained, weddings, funerals, and other religious services, rites, or ceremonies are limited to 10 people indoors or outdoors. Virtual or drive-in services, rites, or ceremonies are permitted.

Education and child care

Elementary students at publicly funded schools will learn remotely from January 4th to 8th and return to in-person learning on Monday, January 11th.

Secondary school students at publicly funded schools will learn remotely from January 4th to 22nd, and resume in-person learning on Monday, January 25th.

Post-secondary institutions will provide remote learning only, with limited exceptions where in-person instruction is required (e.g., clinical training and trades). In-person teaching and in-person examinations are limited to 10 people.

Child care will remain open for the duration of the shutdown. This includes child care offered in licensed centres, in home-based settings (licensed and unlicensed), and by authorized recreation and skill-building providers. From January 4th to 8th, licensed child care centres and authorized recreation and skill-building providers will be prohibited from serving school-aged children. All before and after school programs are being closed during this one-week period.

Day camps for children are not allowed.

Meeting and event spaces

Meeting and event spaces are permitted to open only for child care centres and programs, court services, government services, mental health and addictions support services (to a maximum of 10 people), and social services.

Restaurants, bars, night clubs, and strip clubs

Restaurants and bars, and other food or drink establishments can only provide take-out, drive-through, and delivery services (including the sale of alcohol). Inside or outside dining is not allowed.

Night clubs and strip clubs are only permitted to open only if they operate as food or drink establishments and are subject to the same conditions as restaurants and bars.

Grocery stores, drug stores, big box retailers, and malls

Supermarkets, convenience stores, indoor farmers’ markets, and other stores that primarily sell food can remain open for in-person retail, as long as patrons can maintain two metres physical distance from everyone else and the number of people in any room does not exceed 50 per cent capacity of that room. Curbside pick-up and delivery is permitted.

Pharmacies can remain open for in-person retail, as long as patrons can maintain two metres physical distance from everyone else and the number of people in any room does not exceed 50 per cent capacity of that room. Curbside pick-up and delivery is permitted.

Discount and big box retailers can remain open only if they sell groceries to the public and limit the number of people in any room to 25 per cent capacity of that room. Curbside pick-up and delivery is permitted.

Shopping malls are closed for in-person retail; only order pick-up is permitted. A single designated location inside the mall is permitted for order pick-up but by appointment only. Any number of designated locations outside the mall are allowed for curbside order pick-up. Food courts can remain open for take-out only. People can enter a mall only to access businesses and organizations permitted to be open (such as grocery stores, pharmacies, food court take-out, dentists or doctors, court services, and government services), for food court pick-up, or for interior order pick-up.

Liquor, beer, and cannabis stores

Stores that sell liquor, including beer, wine and spirits can remain open if they limit the number of persons occupying any room that is open to the public in the business does not exceed 25 per cent of that room. Curbside pick-up and delivery is permitted.

Cannabis retail stores can offer curbside pick-up or delivery only (no in-person retail).

Other business and services

Safety supply stores can remain open by appointment only. Curbside pick-up and delivery is permitted.

Businesses that sell, rent or repair assistive/mobility/medical devices can remain open by appointment only. Curbside pick-up and delivery is permitted.

Optical stores that sell prescription eyewear to the public can remain open by appointment only. Curbside pick-up and delivery is permitted.

Garden centres can provide curbside pick-up and delivery only.

Motor vehicle sales are allowed by appointment only.

Vehicle and equipment repair, maintenance, and rental services can remain open by appointment only.

Outdoor markets, including farmers’ markets and holiday markets, are allowed only if they primarily sell food.

All other retail businesses (including hardware stores, pet supply stores, office supply stores, etc.) can offer curbside pick-up and delivery only. Customers are not allowed to enter the business for any reason, including for curbside pick-up and delivery.

The following businesses can remain open: gas stations; car rental agencies; car washes; laundromats and dry cleaners; snow clearing and landscaping services; security services; funeral services; staffing services; cheque cashing services; financial services (including banks and credit unions); and courier, postal, shipping, moving and delivery services.

Veterinary services that are necessary for the immediate health and welfare of the animal only, or that are provided through curb side pick-up and drop-off of the animal, can remain open. Other businesses that provide for the health and welfare of animals, including farms, boarding kennels, stables, animal shelters and research facilities can remain open. Businesses that provide pet training exclusively for service animals can remain open.

Hotels, motels, lodges, cabins, cottages, resorts and other shared rental accommodation, including student residences, can remain open. However, any indoor pools, indoor fitness centres, or other indoor recreational facilities that are part of the operation of these businesses, must close.

Community centres and multi-purpose facilities are only permitted to open for child care centres and programs, mental health and addictions support services (to a maximum of 10 people), and social services.

Financial services including banks, credit unions, insurance, land registration services, and accounting and tax services can remain open.

Real estate services can remain open, but open houses are not permitted (showing a property is permitted by appointment only).

Other essential businesses and services include telecommunications and information technology services, media (including newspapers, radio, and television), maintenance services (including property management), transportation services, manufacturing, agriculture and food production, construction, resources and energy businesses and services, waste management including sewage treatment and disposal, legal and justice services, and government services including policing, paramedics, fire and emergency services, corrections and court services, and licences and permits.

Indoor and outdoor sports and recreational fitness facilities are closed, except for facilities for high-performance athletes and specified professional leagues or specified purposes such as child care.

Outdoor recreational amenities such as parks, sports fields, playgrounds, cross-country skiing and skating trails, snowmobile trails, ice rinks, and tobogganing hills can remain open. Ski hills are closed.

Concert venues, theatre and cinemas are closed to the public, including drive-in or drive-through events. They may remain open only for the purpose of rehearsing or performing a recorded or broadcasted concert, artistic event, theatrical performance or other performance with conditions, including no more than 10 performers on stage.

Libraries may open for contactless curbside, delivery, and pick-up only. All circulating materials returned to libraries must be disinfected or quarantined before they are recirculated. Libraries must record patron contact information.

Museums, art galleries, and other cultural amenities are closed.

Zoos and aquariums are closed to the public but can continue to operate to care for animals.

The following businesses and services are closed: amusement parks and water parks, bathhouses and sex clubs, tour and guide services, motorsports, personal care services, and casinos, bingo halls, and gaming establishments.

Details of the shutdown are available at ontario.ca/page/covid-19-provincewide-shutdown and in the document below.

PDF: Ontario Province-wide Shutdown – December 21, 2020
Ontario Province-wide Shutdown - December 21, 2020
This document is available for download at files.ontario.ca/moh-provincewide-shutdown-en-2020-12-22.pdf

Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.

With Ontario reporting a record 2,447 new cases today, Premier Doug Ford is urging Ontarians not to wait for the province-wide shutdown to stay at home.

“I know the lockdown starts on December 26, but I have to tell you, folks, every time you take a trip, it puts people in jeopardy,” Ford says in a video posted on Twitter. “So please — as of right now — please stay at home when you can. Only go out to get groceries, or medical appointments, or necessary trips.”

“But folks, we will get through this. We have 28 days and we’re going to give it everything we can, and we will come out stronger than ever after this.”

I know the lockdown starts on December 26, but every time you take a trip outside your home it puts people in jeopardy. So please, as of now, stay home when you can. Only go out to get groceries, medication or for necessary trips. pic.twitter.com/jB8ntV0xAS

— Doug Ford (@fordnation) December 24, 2020

Today’s increase is the tenth straight day of cases over 2,000 and the highest case count on a single day since the pandemic began. With today’s new cases, the seven-day average of daily cases across the province has increased by 2 to 2,306.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 10 new cases to report and 11 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region decreasing by 1 to 94.

Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (646), Peel (502), York (263), Windsor-Essex (173), and Hamilton (101).

There are double-digit increases in Niagara (93), Durham (92), Waterloo (82), Ottawa (77), Middlesex-London (67), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (73), Halton (55), Simcoe Muskoka (38), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (30), Southwestern Public Health (30), Thunder Bay (20), Lambton (20), and Brant (16), with smaller increases in Haldimand-Norfolk (11), Peterborough (9), Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (8), Grey Bruce (8), Huron Perth (8), Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (7), and Chatham-Kent (6).

The remaining 9 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with only a single health unit (Algoma) reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s cases, 52% are among people 40 years of age and older, with the highest number of cases (869) among people ages 20 to 39 followed by 723 cases among people ages 40 to 59. With 2,013 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has decreased by 0.1% to 85.4%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has decreased by 1.1% to 3.7%, meaning that 37 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on December 23.

Ontario is reporting 49 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 35 deaths in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have decreased by 35 to 967, with 2 more patients with COVID-19 in ICUs and 10 fewer patients on ventilators.

A total of 64,592 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation increasing by 8,274 to 75,250.

Due to the winter break and the remote learning period during the provincial shutdown, there will be no data to report between December 22 and January 8. There are 24 new cases in licensed child care settings, a decrease of 7 from yesterday, with 11 cases among children and 13 cases among staff.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 10 new cases to report, including 4 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Peterborough, 2 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 1 in Northumberland. There are no new cases in Haliburton.

An additional 11 cases have been resolved, including 7 in Hastings Prince Edward, 2 in Northumberland, and 2 in Peterborough.

None of the reported cases in licensed child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.

There are currently 94 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 1 from yesterday, including 35 in Northumberland, 29 in Peterborough, 20 in Hastings Prince Edward (6 in Quinte West, 6 in Belleville, 5 in Prince Edward County, 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, and 1 in Central Hastings), and 10 in Kawartha Lakes. There are no active cases in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 290 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (256 resolved with 5 deaths), 230 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (201 resolved with 33 deaths), 215 in Northumberland County (178 resolved with 1 death), 27 in Haliburton County (27 resolved with no deaths), and 260 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (225 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on November 23.

Province-wide, there have been 165,110 confirmed cases, an increase of 2,447 from yesterday, with 141,023 cases resolved (85.4% of all cases), an increase of 2,013 from yesterday. There have been 4,278 deaths, an increase of 49 from yesterday, with 2,643 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 35 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has decreased by 35 to 967, with 2 more patients with COVID-19 in ICUs and 10 fewer patients on ventilators. A total of 7,592,554 tests have been completed, an increase of 64,592 from yesterday, with 75,250 tests under investigation, an increase of 8,274 from yesterday.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).

Peterborough Public Health

Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.

The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.

Confirmed positive: 290 (increase of 3)
Active cases: 29 (increase of 1)
Close contacts: 128 (decrease of 2)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Resolved: 256 (increase of 2)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 13 (no change)*
Total tests completed: Over 38,600 (increase of 50)
Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven in Peterborough, Riverview Manor in Peterborough, Unidentified congregate living setting (no change)

*As of December 23, Peterborough Regional Health Centre reports 1 patient with COVID-19 on an inpatient unit and 1 patient with COVID-19 in the ICU (transferred from another hospital).

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.

The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 472, including 230 in Kawartha Lakes, 215 in Northumberland, 27 in Haliburton (increase of 5, including 4 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland)*
Active cases: 45, including 10 in Kawartha Lakes and 35 in Northumberland (net increase of 3)
Probable cases: 1 (increase of 1)
High-risk contacts: 324, including 21 in Kawartha Lakes, 187 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (net decrease of 19)**
Hospitalizations (total to date): 18, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 6 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 406, including 201 in Kawartha Lakes, 178 in Northumberland, 27 in Haliburton (increase of 2 in Northumberland)
Institutional outbreaks: Case Manor Care Community in Bobcaygeon, Golden Plough Lodge in Cobourg (no change)

*Two additional cases reported previously have been added to the Kawartha Lakes case count. One case transferred to another health unit has been removed from the Northumberland case count. Two additional cases previously reported have been added to the total health unit case count, and one case transferred to another health unit has been removed from the total case count.

**This total includes 113 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.

The health unit provides daily reports, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 260 (increase of 2)
Active cases: 20 (decrease of 5)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 2 (decrease of 1)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (decrease of 1)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 235 (increase of 7)
Swabs completed: 23,212 (increase of 3)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 165,110 (increase of 2,447)
Resolved: 141,023 (increase of 2,013, 85.4% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 967 (decrease of 35)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 277 (increase of 2)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 176 (increase of 10)
Deaths: 4,278 (increase of 49)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,643 (increase of 35)
Total tests completed: 7,592,554 (increase of 64,592)
Tests under investigation: 75,250 (increase of 8,274)

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

Environment Canada has issued a freezing rain warning on Christmas Eve for much of the greater Kawarthas region. Several hours of freezing rain are expected on Thursday night (December 24), particularly over higher terrain. Up to 5 mm of ice accumulation is possible.

The freezing rain warning has been issued for northern Peterborough County including Apsley, southern Peterborough County including Peterborough and Lakefield, all of Kawartha Lakes including Fenelon Falls and Lindsay, all of Haliburton County including Haliburton and Minden, and Hastings Highlands including Bancroft.

The freezing rain will develop late in the evening and continue into Friday morning. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots will become icy, slippery, and hazardous. Power outages may occur.

Eventually, all precipitation will switch over to snow, and as much as 5 to 10 cm of snow is expected by mid-morning on Friday in some areas of the Kawarthas.

For Northumberland County including Cobourg and Belleville-Quinte West, a rainfall warning is in effect.

Heavy rainfall totalling 30 to 50 mm is expected to develop Thursday and continue into Friday. The frozen ground will have a reduced ability to absorb this rainfall.

Rain will ease to showers and then turn to snow flurries on Friday.

This story has been updated to include southern Peterborough County in the freezing rain warning.

The Rotary Harbourfront Outdoor Rink in Cobourg will stay open during the province-wide shutdown, but with enhanced enforcement to ensure compliance with public health measures.

On Wednesday (December 23), Cobourg council held an emergency meeting and decided to keep the fountain rink — known as the “frink” to locals — open for the duration of the province-wide shutdown, which runs from Saturday, December 26 until Saturday, January 23rd.

“We understand and appreciate the need to have our outdoor rink operational during a time when so few activities are available for our community,” says Cobourg mayor John Henderson. “Physical and mental well-being are crucial especially during this time of isolation and I ask that all rink users comply with the provincial and public health requirements.”

Outdoor recreational amenities include ice rinks are permitted to open under the Ontario government’s shutdown rules, as long as gatherings are limited to 10 people, people who are not members of the same household maintain at least two metres of distance from one another, and no team sports are played.

On Thursday (December 24), municipal staff will erect a rectangular fence around the perimeter of the rink. For Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, a maximum of 25 skaters will be allowed on the rink at a time.

When the shutdown takes effect on Saturday (December 26) and for the duration of the shutdown, no more than 10 skaters will be allowed on the rink. Cobourg police will provide special constables as added full-time security to enforce the rules and to support contact tracing.

In addition, as of Monday (December 28), all rink users will need to register in advance on the town’s website for 45-minute time slots.

The new operating hours for the rink will be noon to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting.

Along with maintaining two metres of distance from others not in the same household, rink users must sanitize their hands before using the rink and must be wearing ice skates or ice sledges. Hockey sticks, pucks, or games of tag are not allowed on the ice surface. While not required under provincial rules, face coverings are strongly recommended.

Those who fail to follow the rules of the outdoor rink will be asked to leave immediately.

As part of Wednesday’s emergency meeting, Cobourg council also asked municipal staff to report back to council on Monday, January 4th with possible sites and costs for a second community rink in the Town of Cobourg.

As Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day are statutory holidays in Ontario, all government offices and services are closed (because Boxing Day falls on a Saturday this year, the statutory holiday is observed on Monday, December 28). Liquor and beer stores are closed, except for a selected few beer stores that will be open on Boxing Day. Most businesses — including malls, box stores, and grocery stores — are closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day but are open on Boxing Day. Many businesses close early in the afternoon on both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

All services and businesses are affected by the province-wide COVID-19 shutdown that begins on Boxing Day (December 26) and continues through the remainder of the holidays. Here are a few key things to know about the impact of the shutdown on services and businesses:

• Indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities are closed (this includes municipal arenas and facilities).
• Museums and art galleries are closed.
• Libraries can provide curbside pick-up only.
• Grocery stores and pharmacies are limited to 50 per cent capacity.
• Big box and discount retailers that sell groceries are open, but limited to 25 per cent capacity.
• Shopping malls are closed for in-person retail, but curbside pick-up (or in-mall pick-up at a designated area) is permitted.
• All other retailers are closed for in-person retail, with only curbside pick-up or delivery permitted.
• Only take-out or delivery is permitted at restaurants (no inside or outside dining).
• Movie theatres and performance venues are closed.
• Personal care services are closed.

For your convenience, we provide this list of holiday hours for 268 selected businesses and services across the Kawarthas. This information comes from their websites and social media accounts, which may or may not be up to date, so please always call them first to confirm their hours (we’ve included phone numbers), especially when you are travelling any distance. If your business or organization is listed and the hours are incorrect, please let us know by using our content feedback form.

Search by business name, location, or keyword:

Beer & Liquor Stores

Drug Stores, Pharmacies & Health Services

Government Services

Grocery Stores

Malls & Box Stores

Other Stores

Recreation & Leisure

Veterinary Clinics

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for all of southern, central, and eastern Ontario calling for potentially heavy rain on Wednesday night (December 23) and into Christmas Eve, followed by a chance of snow by Christmas Day.

Rain is forecast to begin tonight ahead of an approaching low pressure system. This rain will then continue into Thursday and become heavy at times.

Total rainfall amounts of 15 to 25 mm appear likely.

By Thursday evening or overnight, the rain is expected to change over to snow after the passage of a strong cold front.

A few centimetres of snowfall accumulation will be possible Thursday night through Friday morning.

There remains considerable uncertainty as to the exact track of this low pressure system and the timing of the changeover from rain to snow. This will ultimately affect how much snow may fall at any particular location.

Motorists should be prepared for deteriorating winter driving conditions in areas that receive snow on Christmas Eve into Christmas Day.

“Baby Shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo …”

Lubna Sadek, youth group facilitator at the New Canadians Centre in Peterborough, got to know the viral children’s hit song “Baby Shark” really well this summer.

She sang it every day when she visited newcomer families in isolation online and in person.

“Baby Shark is a song about bringing families together, helping them stay connected especially when they feel alone,” Sadek says. “As it turns out, it is a favourite among newcomer children as it helps them learn language. And it makes them really happy when they sing it.”

VIDEO: “Together, even when we’re apart” – New Canadians Centre

Staying together when we’re asked to keep apart is a challenge for everyone, but especially for people from other countries who now call Canada home.

Through the generous support of the community, the New Canadians Centre — a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to supporting immigrants, refugees, and other newcomers in the Peterborough and Northumberland regions — has been able to move forward during the pandemic with programs for newcomers and refugees to keep them connected and to develop language and skills for success.

The centre’s long-standing women’s group, which includes women from all over the world who have made their home in Peterborough and have developed strong friendships, has moved online. New Canadians Centre staff deliver kits so the women can continue to meet weekly and bond over crafts and baking. These are important connections that support both language learning and a sense of belonging among newcomers.

Newcomer youth also continue to connect online to explore opportunities for education and employment and to develop the skills they need to be successful.

Over the summer, the New Canadians Centre’s newcomer youth group hosted Instagram Live sessions each week, providing an opportunity for youth to come together and engage in activities from painting to yoga to baking and online games.

Also over the summer, thanks to community support, New Canadians Centre staff delivered care packages of food staples and drawings and letters to migrant farm workers, letting them know that the community is grateful for all they do.

VIDEO: Steve and Ibrahim on Instagram Live – New Canadians Centre

Community support has also helped newcomer women step up during the pandemic, sewing caps and masks for frontline healthcare workers at a crucial time and putting to good use the skills they have developed from sewing training.

It’s clear that a gift to the New Canadians Centre impacts the lives of many people in our community.

“Because of your ongoing generosity, newcomer families are not isolated,” Sadek says. “They are hopeful. They are working towards their future.”

As Baby Shark joyfully sings when he is together again with all of his family, “Safe at Last, doo doo doo doo doo doo …”

“That’s what a gift to New Canadians Centre looks like,” Sadek says. “It’s how you can change lives when we are together, and even when we are apart.”

To help the New Canadians Centre continue to bring joy to newcomers and their families through these uncertain times, please consider making a gift this holiday season at nccpeterborough.ca/support-the-ncc/.

This story was developed in partnership with the New Canadians Centre.