This Ontario City Just Announced New Capacity Limits & Restrictions For Outdoor Activities
The new measures go into effect on Boxing Day.
With the holidays in full swing this weekend, Ontarians might be looking to throw on their ice skates or shred the snowy hills in their sleds. But, those living in Ottawa will have to adjust their expectations as new public health measures will kick in starting this Sunday.
On December 23, Ottawa's medical officer of health, Dr. Vera Etches, wrote a letter addressed to outdoor recreation sites — like skating rinks, sledding hills, cross country ski and snowshoe trails, and other similar winter activities — detailing the extra health measures that are set to take place on Boxing Day.
"While the risk of transmission of COVID-19, on average, is greater in indoor spaces compared to outdoors, transmission is elevated in outdoor spaces when there is crowding, close contact, prolonged exposure and forceful exhalation," Etches said.
As of 12:01 a.m. on December 26, capacity limits will be capped at 25 or, if it's lower than 25, the highest amount of people that can accommodate social distancing between people.
Indoor change rooms and clubhouses will also be shut down to the public, though public washrooms will still be open. Masking will also be mandatory in public washrooms, and you'll also have to wear a mask before and after participating in the activity and if you're just "observing" other people.
Outdoor refrigerated rinks like Ben Franklin Place Skating Rink, City Hall Rink of Dreams, Jim Tubman Chevrolet Rink of Dreams, and Lansdown Park Skating court will have their capacities limits posted, and physical distancing will be required between skaters unless you're coming from the same household.
Skating trails and ovals, sledding hills trailheads, and other access points to shared outdoor spaces will also have these capacity limits put in place.
On December 23, Ontario reported the highest number of active COVID-19 cases since the very start of the pandemic in 2020.
Leading into the holiday season this year, the Ford administration implemented public health measures like shrinking capacity limits for social gatherings both indoors and outdoors as well as putting down curfews at restaurants and bars amid concerns of the Omicron variant.