As of today, January 5, 2022, we are entering many new restrictions in Ontario. The following measures will be in place for the next 21 days, which is until January 27. This of course may fluctuate depending on our health system at the time of completion.
If you’re not familiar with the new restrictions in Ontario or need a refresh, we’ve listed the changes below.
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Wearing face masks have become the new norm and are mandatory to wear inside public spaces. A bunch of Canadian fashion brands have stepped up to the plate and are manufacturing face masks, along with new businesses focused on this specialty.
If you’re going to purchase a face covering, you might as well shop and support Canadian businesses, right? Remember to wear a mask and be considerate of others when social distancing!
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Over the past few months, frontline workers have helped keep our cities running. While we’ve been doing our part by social distancing and staying home, they’ve been supporting us at hospitals, grocery stores, and beyond. If there’s anyone that deserves a special treat this summer, it’s them!
Many businesses have shown their appreciation by offering free meals, access to activities, and more, and now a popular Toronto museum has something to give back to those on the front line, too.
The ROM is offering this as a huge thank you to those individuals who have put their own health on the line during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Frontline workers that will get special, free access include emergency services, health care, grocery store workers, city operations, social services, public transit, and delivery services.
If you are classified in one of these categories, take some me-time for yourself and immerse yourself in the 40 amazing galleries and collectons that the ROM has to offer.
To reserve a visit, frontline workers can book a timed ticket by emailing the ROM’s contact centre at info@rom.on.ca or calling (416)-586-8000. And it doesn’t have to be a solo visit! You can invite a few of your social distancing bubble pals, too. Each timed ticket includes spots for up to three guests.
Areas around the museum have strict limit capacities as well as marked pathways to comply with. Feel safe on your outing to the ROM so be sure to follow all of the rules, and of course, have lots of fun!
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As the province enters Stage 3 of reopening, our list of summer activities is getting longer. This August, we’ll see restaurants, fitness centres, and other forms of entertainment reopen with restrictions, including movie theatres.
Canada’s largest movie theatre chain is one of the entertainment services that will be reopening. The company made the announcement after movie theatres were given the thumbs up to expand capacity.
Cineplex announced to open select cinemas across the province on Friday after Ontario’s chief medical officer of health gave movie theatres the green light to expand capacity.
Movie theatres are now permitted to have 50 people per screening and multiple screenings in one building at one time. Prior to this, movie theatres were only allowed to have 50 people in the building at a time, which would have meant that many theatres would operate at a loss. The change in restrictions is a huge win for theatres and moviegoers.
For a limited time, you can score movie tickets for select showings and theatres for just $5 and on Tuesdays, movie tickets will run for $2.99. You can reserve your seating online, which will ensure proper physical distancing. Additionally, guests in “communities where it is mandated” will be asked to wear masks for their visit, so don’t forget to bring yours!
For a full list of theatres open across Canada, head to cineplex.com.
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Are you looking to get out of the house for a safe and fun adventure? Tons of attractions in Toronto and around the GTA are changing the way they operate with safe drive-through business models. Take your loved ones out and explore all kinds of great new attractions, all from the comfort of your car!
Take a drive around the Toronto Zoo Scenic Safari with commentary teaching you all about animals as you see the Toronto Zoo from a whole new perspective. Plus, you can even drive through the lion cave! It’s just like taking your family on a real-life African safari but with a variety of animals from around the world.
The 5 Drive-In Theatre is located in Oakville and is playing a fantastic line up of movies all summer. Enjoy a brand-new summer blockbuster or of the many classic films that the theatre will be playing each week. Sit back and recline the driver’s seat for a night of amazing double features!
City View Drive-in is hosting a great line up of live music events with an amazing view of the Toronto skyline in the background. From the safety of your own car, experience some world-class entertainment in a massive 238-foot stage class talent. City View Drive-In even offers food delivery right to your vehicle, so there is no reason to ever step foot outside your car.
Together At The Drive-In is a two-day music and film series that’s totally socially distant because visitors will be experiencing it from the car. The event is all for a good cause too because proceeds go toward our hardest-hit communities from COVID-19 & social injustice. Enjoy live performances, DJs, and movies!
Indian River Reptile & Dinosaur is located a bit outside the GTA near Peterborough but it’s worth the drive. Experience the Drive-Thru Dinosaur Park where you can tour around from the comfort of your vehicle and experience what it would be like driving through a world of dinosaurs. Come see the realistic life-sized animatronic dinosaurs which make for a fun day out for the whole family.
Love a good ghost story? Who doesn’t! For just $20, you can take a driving tour of the historic Pickering Village Museum at night and hear stories from the past that are still haunting us today.
The Van Gogh Exhibit drive-through experience is located 1 Yonge Street and it’s showcasing Van Gogh’s finest creations as projections on the walls. This is a completely new and exciting way to view art that’s brought to you by artistic director Massimiliano Siccardi who is known for creating numerous pieces of video art for prestigious festivals. This event is on from July until September 2020.
This drive-in film festival is set to feature films from countries that are most affected by the COVID-19 crisis. A different nation will be represented every night from July 20-31 and the countries include France, Spain, China, Russia, the US, the UK, Brazil, India, Iran, and Canada. There’s a special “Focus on Italy” series that showcases the beauty that the country has to offer. Plus, a portion of ticket sales will go to support AiutiAMO l’Italia which is an initiative launched by the Italian Embassy in collaboration with the Canadian Red Cross.
With lots of annual events being cancelled due to COVID, TIFF is one that’s sticking around. This year the Toronto International Film Festival there will be hosting drive-in screenings for a selection of TIFF films, as well as digital screenings in the comfort of your home. With a lineup of 50 feature films, interactive talks, digital red carpets, and Q&A’s with cast and filmmakers.
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When it was announced that Toronto could finally join the Stage 2 phase of reopening, I was of course excited because I’ve wanted nothing more than to feel some semblance of normality after the last few months of quarantine due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. I couldn’t wait to book in at one of my favourite beauty studios in the city but I won’t lie and say I wasn’t a little nervous. However, I was pleasantly surprised that my trip to the salon for a haircut was great even during COVID. Of course, it was different but once you wrap your head around that it’s still your hairstylist behind the mask and they’re still as lovely and friendly as ever, it wasn’t so strange.
The hair studio feels like a cool and cozy loft and consists of five accomplished hair pros who all complement each other. The team’s talents range from cuts and colours to colour correction, bridal, and even blonding. Safe to say that no matter what your hair goals are, that they can be accomplished here.
Immediately after hearing that the salon was reopening on June 30, I reached out to book an appointment for my mum and me. Right away David advised me that we couldn’t come together to our appointments and of course, I more than understood and was happy to comply.
The salon posted on it’s Instagram all of the new rules and I even got an email the day before my appointment letting me know of the changes.
Before stepping inside I masked up and once inside I washed my hands and gave David a huge air-hug. I was pleased to see that the salon was near-empty (strange to say, I know) and that everyone was adhering to the face-covering rule.
Even during the hair-washing portion of the appointment, my mask stayed on and while it felt strange at first, I quickly got used to it. Let’s be real: wearing a mask isn’t super comfortable especially during the current heatwave but if it can save someone else’s life, then to me it’s well worth it.
Aside from the mask, social distancing, and extra hand sanitizing, my haircut felt the same as others pre-COVID. Once we were done, I paid via e-transfer to keep it cashless and was on my way.
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After months of government-mandated closures, more and more retailers start to reopen stores across the country. For those who love shopping, it’s really exciting news. So far, Value Village, TJX, Aritzia, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and more have welcomed shoppers in and the next major retailer we can add to our list of stores to visit next is fast-fashion retailer, H&M.
In total, H&M has 40 stores currently open to shop across the country. In British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, PEI, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick, all stores are open, while in Ontario and Quebec, select stores with street entrances are open.
Some new things you’ll notice when you visit an H&M store are enhanced cleaning of high-touch areas throughout the day, fitting room closures, returns held for 24-hours, PPE for all store employees, Plexiglass barriers at cash desks, social distancing stickers, and audio notes reminding employees and shoppers to socially distance. The H&M Garment Collection program, which exchanges store credits for used clothing, is on pause until further notice. Additionally, all stores will be running on reduced hours.
Location | City | Province |
West Edmonton Mall | Edmonton | Alberta |
CrossIron Mills | Rockyview | Alberta |
Bower Place | Red Deer | Alberta |
South Edmonton Common | Edmonton | Alberta |
TD Square Calgary Eaton Centre | Calgary | Alberta |
Chinook Centre | Calgary | Alberta |
Kingsway Garden Mall RELO | Edmonton | Alberta |
Londonderry Mall | Edmonton | Alberta |
Premium Outlet Collection EIA | Edmonton | Alberta |
Deerfoot City | Calgary | Alberta |
Southcentre Mall | Calgary | Alberta |
Coquitlam Centre | Coquitlam | British Columbia |
The Pacific Centre 609 Granville St. | Vancouver | British Columbia |
Lougheed Town Centre | Burnaby | British Columbia |
Metropolis at Metrotown | Burnaby | British Columbia |
Guildford Town Centre | Surrey | British Columbia |
High Street | Abbotsford | British Columbia |
Uptown | Victoria | British Columbia |
Richmond Centre | Richmond | British Columbia |
Tsawwassen Mills | Tsawwassen | British Columbia |
Park Royal | West Vancouver | British Columbia |
Willowbrook Shopping Centre | Langley | British Columbia |
Polo Park Shopping Centre | Winnipeg | Manitoba |
Kildonan Place | Winnipeg | Manitoba |
Champlain Place | Dieppe | New Brunswick |
McAllister Place | Saint John | New Brunswick |
Halifax Shopping Centre | Halifax | Nova Scotia |
Mic Mac Mall | Dartmouth | Nova Scotia |
Toronto Eaton Centre | Toronto | Ontario |
Vaughan Mills Centre | Vaughan | Ontario |
Bloor Street | Toronto | Ontario |
Queen Street West | Toronto | Ontario |
Heartland Town Centre | Mississauga | Ontario |
Rideau Centre | Ottawa | Ontario |
Charlottetown Mall | Charlottetown Mall | Prince Edward Island |
1100 Ste. Catherine St. West at Peel St. | Montreal | Quebec |
450 Rue Ste. Catherine | Montreal | Quebec |
Premium Outlets Montreal | Mirabel | Quebec |
Quartier DIX30 | Montreal | Quebec |
Cornwall Centre | Regina | Saskatchewan |
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Calling all TJX fans! The moment you’ve been waiting for is just around the corner.
While stores across Canada have been closed due to the global health crisis, retailers across the country have slowly been reopening in accordance with government regulations.
Currently, TJX has reopened stores in Alberta, PEI, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Quebec are next on the list. According to the retailer’s websites, stores across these three provinces are slated to reopen on Wednesday, May 27.
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All sorts of retail stores are reopening but what about our beloved library? If you’re missing the days of borrowing books from the library, then today is going to be a good day for you. It’s just been announced that the Toronto Public Library is rolling out curbside pick-up and drop-off.
“We are all excited about this first step in the reinstatement of our services, with the introduction of curbside drop-off and pick-up of materials,” city librarian Vickery Bowles said. “It’s been so heartwarming to see the public excitement about this news. We know how many Torontonians rely on their library to stay connected, informed and engaged.”
Have a book on hold or on loan? Don’t worry about any late fees as the library says you won’t be charged any fines as due dates for all checked-out items will be extended until after branches reopen.
However if you don’t have a library card, you won’t be able to get one until branches officially open. With that being said, TPL has blessed us with instant access to OverDrive, the largest collection of e-books and audiobooks, with the city’s new Instant Digital Card. This means you don’t have to spend a cent to read or listen to those books you’ve been meaning to get around to.
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It’s no secret that businesses have been suffering ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Now that select retail businesses are allowed to reopen, you might want to take a look at your receipt to see if you’re paying a COVID-19 surcharge.
Even with businesses reopening, the numbers won’t go back to “normal” overnight and these retailers need help bouncing back. According to CBC, a steakhouse in Missouri garnered attention when it charged a customer a $2.19 COVID-19 surcharge.
‘Scuse me … what? A covid surcharge…? pic.twitter.com/IYcrkcqIJ3
— Talia (@talialikeitis) May 11, 2020
One hair salon in Manitoba has re-opened it’s doors but due to social distancing guidelines, it can only accommodate a limited amount of clients at a time as well as half the amount of staff. All this while the cost of PPE has doubled in price means that it’s not all “business as usual.”
David Newman, owner of “Hair by David & Co.”, a salon on Richmond Street in Toronto told Global News, “Some people are charging more, some people are charging a bit less. We came up with the number because it pays to cover the basic cost of what we’re going to use…”
While these new COVId-19 charges are definitely a new adjustment for us consumers, it’s important for these businesses to get the help they need in order for them to continue operating as normal as possible but transparency about what folks are paying for is key.
“Companies need to make it clear what consumers will be expected to pay before they engage the business. And if they don’t, I would go as far as to say they have every right to refuse to pay.”
These new COVID-19 surcharges are a delicate balance as it might scare off potential customers who are experiencing some major belt-tightening themselves, however these businesses do need all the help they can get right now.
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