Business News & Updates

GO Station Transit Hub Zoning By-Law - Survey

City Council adopted a Secondary Plan for the area around the VIA Train Station in 2018 to support GO Train service by permitting transit supportive development. The vision for the area is a vibrant and complete neighbourhood that is walkable, has a mix of uses, new housing choices, new employment opportunities including institutional uses, with seamless integration between the existing VIA Rail Station, the Niagara Regional Transit Hub and the rest of Downtown area.
 
The City is now initiating an amendment to its Zoning By-law to implement the GO Transit Station Secondary Plan. Planning has posted a survey, and an opportunity to provide written comments, on the City’s Let’s Talk site  https://letstalk.niagarafalls.ca/niagara-falls-go-station-transit-hub-zoning-by-law-update . The deadline for feedback is Monday, November 23, 2020.

Order under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act

Dr. M. Mustafa Hirji, Medical Officer of Health (Acting) for Niagara Region has issued an order under section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act on food and drink premises in Niagara, including:

• Restaurants
• Bars
• Banquet halls
• Wineries
• Breweries
• Establishments where only beverages are served

This order is to help reduce unsafe social interactions by patrons.

Video: Special Statement from Dr. Mustafa Hirji

Order under Section 22

Effective 12:01 a.m., November 14, 2020, all owners / operators of food premises, including bars, restaurants, banquet halls, wineries, or breweries, including ones where only beverages are served, within Niagara must:

• Record the following information from every patron who is 16 years of age or older that enters an indoor or outdoor dining area in the establishment, other than patrons who briefly enter the area to place, pick up, or pay for a takeout order:
  • Name
  • One form of contact information (phone number, electronic mail address, physical address)
  • Time of arrival
  • Time of departure
  • Table number or location
  • Attestation that the patron does not suffer any of the symptoms (excluding from a chronic non-contagious existing diagnosis)
  • Attestation that the patron is joining a table with only household members, and / or a maximum of two persons who are essential to maintaining physical and mental health, such as caregivers or social supports to someone who lives alone
• Don't serve patrons for indoor or outdoor dining on the premises if they don't provide information for the above records
• Retain the above records for a period of at least one month, and ensure the records are maintained and stored in a secure manner to preserve privacy of patrons. Appropriately and securely destroy those records after the one month retention has elapsed.
• Disclose the records to a medical officer of health or an inspector under the Health Protection and Promotion Act on request, or as otherwise required by law
• Conduct daily interactive screening of all employees for symptoms of COVID-19, using the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Screening Tool for Workplaces, or another tool with the same minimum set of questions, such as the COVID-19 Screening Tool developed by Niagara Region Public Health. Answers to daily screens should be collected and retained for at least one month.
• Ensure the workplace is arranged, such as spacing of stations and visual cues, to maximize the likelihood that employees will keep two metres distance from each other and from patrons at all times, whenever possible. For emphasis, employees on breaks should be facilitated to keep two metres distance from each other.
• Ensure that no more than six people are seated at each table in an indoor or outdoor area
• Ensure that patrons are seated at all times except:
  • While entering the area and while moving to their table
  • While entering the area and while moving to their table
  • While placing or picking up an order
  • While paying for an order
  • While exiting the area
  • While going to or returning from a washroom
  • While lining up to do anything described in sub-paragraphs a to e
  • Where necessary for the purposes of health and safety
• Ensure that patrons seated at different tables are separated by a distance of at least two metres, or plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier
• Provide sufficient alcohol-based hand rub (minimum alcohol concentration of 70%) at every table, and at the entrance and exit of the establishment, with prompting to use it upon entry and exit.
• To encourage honest and forthright reporting of COVID-19 symptoms and / or contact amongst employees, ensure that all employees are aware of any benefits and / or pay to which they may be entitled in the event that they must isolate due to having symptoms of COVID-19, being tested for COVID-19, or being a contact of COVID-19

Failure to comply with this order is an offence for which you may be liable, on conviction, to a fine of not more than $5,000 for every day or part of each day on which the offence occurs or continues.

Reasons for the Order

• COVID-19 is a potentially fatal infectious disease, currently constituting a worldwide pandemic
• COVID-19 is a communicable disease that can spread readily to others through respiratory droplets that are released from the nose and mouth, contact with contaminated surfaces, and poor hand hygiene
• COVID-19 may be transmitted from persons who have minimal or no signs or symptoms of illness
• The risk of transmission of COVID-19 is greater in close contact environments where persons are within two metres and/or without face coverings
• The socializing of persons in food premises has been associated with significant spread of COVID-19 in Niagara amongst non-household members
• Persons infected with COVID-19 in food premises in Niagara have subsequently spread COVID-19 more widely, and is one of the factors leading to large numbers of cases of infection, including in congregate care settings with vulnerable residents at greatest risk of dying
• Employees of food premises in Niagara and across Ontario have in some circumstances continued to work while COVID-19 symptomatic and infectious, putting others at risk in the workplace
• Ongoing widespread disease transmission of COVID-19 will lead to outbreaks in congregate settings with vulnerable residents, and to increased morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 within the population of Niagara

Contact

If you're a business owner or operator and have questions about the Section 22 Class Orders:

• Email inspect@niagararegion.ca
• Contact the COVID-19 Info-Line at 905-688-8248 press 7, then press 3 or toll-free at 1-888-505-6074

Ontario Moves Niagara Falls into COVID-19 Response Framework

Modelling Shows New Thresholds Needed to Bend the Curve and Keep People Safe

General public health measures (gatherings, workplace requirements and face coverings)

• Events and social gatherings (for example, barbeques):
  • 10 people indoors
  • 25 people outdoors
• Organized public events and gatherings:
  • 50 people indoors
  • 100 people outdoors
• Religious services, weddings and funerals:
  • 30% capacity indoors
  • 100 people outdoors
• Requirement for workplace screening
• Face coverings required in:
  • indoor workplaces
  • indoor public spaces, with limited exemptions
• Where patrons without face coverings are within two metres of workers, workers must use additional protections such as eye protection
• Workplaces must develop and implement a communication/public education plan (highlighting risk)
• Physical distancing must be maintained
• Non-essential travel from areas of high-transmission to areas of low transmission should be avoided

Restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments

• 50 person indoor seated capacity limit
• Require patrons to be seated; 2 metre minimum between tables
• Dancing, singing and performing music is permitted, with restrictions
• Karaoke permitted, with restrictions (including no private rooms)
• Require patron contact info (one per party)
• No buffet style service
• Night clubs only permitted to operate as restaurant or bar
• Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metres distance and face covering required
• Face coverings except when eating or drinking only
• Eye protection where patrons without face coverings are within 2 metres of workers
• Limit operating hours, establishments close at 10 p.m.
• Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
• Require contact information for all seated patrons
• Limit of 4 people may be seated together
• Limit volume of music (to be no louder than the volume of a normal conversation)
• Require screening of patrons (for example, questionnaire)
• Closure of strip clubs
• A safety plan must be available upon request

Sports and recreational fitness facilities

• Maximum 50 people per facility (revoke OCMOH approved plan) in all combined recreational fitness spaces or programs (not pools, rinks at arenas, community centres, and multi-purpose facilities)
• No spectators permitted (exemption for parent and guardian supervision of children)
• Team or individual sports must be modified to avoid physical contact; 50 people per league
• Exemption for high performance athletes and parasports
• Limit duration of stay to 90 minutes except if engaging in sport
• Limit volume of music to conversation level and prevent shouting by both instructors and members of the public
• Face coverings required except when exercising
• Increase spacing between patrons to 3 metres for areas of a sport or recreational facility where there are weights or weight machines and exercise and fitness classes
• Require contact information for all patrons and attendance for team sports
• Require reservation for entry; one reservation for teams
• Require screening of members of the public, including spectators (for example, questionnaire)
• A safety plan must be available upon request

Meeting and event spaces

• Maximum of 50 people per facility (revoke capacity limit on a per room basis as per OCMOH plan)
• Booking multiple rooms for the same event not permitted
• Limit operating hours, establishments must close at 10 p.m.
• Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
• Require contact information for all seated patrons
• Limit of 4 people may be seated together
• Limit volume of music (to be no louder than the volume of a normal conversation)
• Require screening of patrons (for example, questionnaire)
• A safety plan must be available upon request

Retail

• Fitting rooms must be limited to non-adjacent stalls
• Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metre distance and face covering required
• Limit volume of music (to be no louder than the volume of a normal conversation)
• Consider limiting capacity in retail stores and in shopping malls in winter
• For malls:
  • Require screening of patrons at mall entrances (for example, questionnaire)
  • a safety plan must be available upon request

Personal care services

• Oxygen bars, steam rooms, saunas, whirlpools, bath houses, other adult venues, hot tubs, floating pools and sensory deprivation pods closed (some exceptions)
• Services requiring removal of face coverings prohibited
• Change rooms and showers closed
• Require contact information from all patrons
• Require screening of patrons (for example, questionnaire)
• A safety plan must be available upon request

Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments

• Capacity cannot exceed 50 persons
• Table games are prohibited
• Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
• Require contact information from all patrons
• Require screening of patrons (for example, questionnaire)
• A safety plan must be available upon request

Cinemas

• Limit of 50 people per facility (revoke OCMOH approved plan)Face coverings except when eating or drinking only
• Drive-in cinemas permitted to operate, subject to restrictions
• Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
• Require contact information from all patrons
• Require screening of patrons (for example, questionnaire)
• A safety plan must be available upon request

Performing arts facilities

• Limits with 2 metre physical distance maintained:
  • 50 spectators indoors
  • 100 spectators outdoors
• Singers and players of wind or brass instruments must be separated from spectators by plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier
• Rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcasted event permitted
• Performers and employees must maintain 2 metre physical distance except for purposes of the performance
• Drive-in performances permitted
• Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
• Require contact information from all patrons
• Require screening of patrons (for example, questionnaire)
• A safety plan must be available upon request

WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19

What is The POST Promise?

The POST Promise is a self-declaration that a business is working to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Once completed, a business is provided with the necessary communication and implementation tools to educate employees on the five key steps to workplace safety, which were created to be consistent with what has been recommended by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Businesses who make the promise will be able to use and prominently display the POST Promise logo which is a nationally recognized symbol of a business’ commitment to doing their part to protect their customers’ and employees’ health and safety as COVID-19 restrictions ease. Participating business can also purchase a kit which will include additional communication tools like window decals, posters and tent cards which can be used to further build awareness of their commitment within their place of business.