COVID-19 Bulletin No. 22: Stage 3 And Condominiums

On July 20, 2020, the Government of Ontario announced that the majority of public health units in the Province will be permitted to move to Stage 3 of the Province’s Reopening Plan effective Friday, July 24, 2020. Toronto, Peel Region and Windsor-Essex Region remain in Stage 2 for at least another week.

In Stage 3, all business and public spaces are permitted to open, subject to some restrictions. In Stage 3, all businesses and public spaces must adhere to public health protocols and must respect gathering and social circle limits.  In this regard, Stage 3 permits indoor gatherings of up to 50 people as well as outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people, which are significant increases in comparison to what is permitted in Stage 2.  The social circles limits in Stage 3 however, remain unchanged as it is advised that social circles be kept to a maximum of 10 people throughout the Province with everyone continuing to maintain a physical distance of at least 2 metres between themselves and anyone else who is not in their social circle.  Masks should be encouraged in all indoor spaces.

For condominiums located in portions of the Province that are already in Stage 3 or will be permitted to move to Stage 3 on Friday, these condominium communities are able to reopen most of their indoor and outdoor amenities with the exception of their sauna and steam rooms.  However, prior to reopening these amenities, condominiums, further to Section 117 of the Condominium Act, 1998 and the obligation as occupier for liability purpose, should assess the risk associated with amenity operation and virus transmission, ensure they work with property management and their solicitor to develop and implement proper rules, policies and protocols to manage the identified risk to ensure the safety of residents and avoid transmission of the virus and implement an effective communication strategy to ensure the community is aware of how to operate safely.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact anyone on our team:

All of the information contained in this article is of a general nature for informational purposes only, and is not intended to represent the definitive opinion of the firm of Elia Associates on any particular matter. Although every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this newsletter is accurate and up-to-date, the reader should not act upon it without obtaining appropriate professional advice and assistance.

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