Toronto: Ontario has moved the province’s public health unit regions to the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework. The framework categorizes public health regions into five levels:
- Green-Prevent
- Yellow-Protect
- Orange-Restrict
- Red-Control, and
- Lockdown being a measure of last and urgent resort
“The framework lays out a proactive and graduated response to be applied based on the local situation in each region,” said Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health. “By working with the medical officers of health and local authorities on the realities and situations of Covid-19, we want to continue to help protect people’s health and wellbeing. We are adapting the public health measures to be as targeted and efficient as possible to stop the spread of the virus, while managing any outbreaks as quickly as possible.”
At the request of the local medical officer of health, and with the support of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Toronto Public Health would remain in a modified Stage 2 until November 14, 2020.
As of Saturday, November 7, 2020 at 12:01 am, public health unit regions moved to the following levels:
Lockdown:
- No public health unit regions
Red-Control:
- Peel Regional Health Unit
Orange-Restrict:
- Ottawa Public Health; and
- York Region Public Health
Yellow-Protect:
- Brant County Health Unit;
- City of Hamilton Public Health Services;
- Durham Region Health Department;
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit;
- Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit;
- Halton Region Public Health;
- Niagara Region Public Health;
- Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services;
- Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit; and
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
Green-Prevent:
- Algoma Public Health;
- Chatham-Kent Public Health;
- Grey Bruce Health Unit;
- Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health;
- Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit;
- Hastings Prince Edward Public Health;
- Huron Perth Public Health;
- Lambton Public Health;
- Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit;
- Middlesex-London Health Unit;
- North Bay Parry Sound District;
- Northwestern Health Unit;
- Peterborough Public Health;
- Porcupine Health Unit;
- Public Health Sudbury & Districts;
- Renfrew County and District Health Unit;
- Southwestern Public Health;
- Thunder Bay District Health Unit;
- Timiskaming Health Unit; and
- Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
Public health measures required for each level can be found in the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework.
For long-term care homes, visitor restrictions remain in effect for the following public health unit regions: Ottawa, Peel, Toronto, and York Region.
The Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework takes a comprehensive, whole of government approach by introducing preventative measures earlier to help avoid broader closures and allow for additional public health and workplace safety measures to be introduced or removed gradually. It ensures that public health measures are targeted, incremental and responsive to help limit the spread of Covid-19, while keeping schools and businesses open, maintaining health system capacity and protecting vulnerable people, including those in long-term care.
Quick Facts
- The framework categorizes public health unit regions into five levels: Green–Prevent, Yellow–Protect, Orange–Restrict, Red–Control, and Lockdown. Each level outlines the types of public health and workplace safety measures for businesses and organizations. These include targeted measures for specific sectors, institutions and other settings.
- Municipalities and local medical officers of health may have additional restrictions or targeted requirements in their region, on top of the public health measures required at their specific level.
- The Ontario government has developed a $2.8 billion Covid-19 fall preparedness plan, Keeping Ontarians Safe: Preparing for Future Waves of Covid-19, to ensure the province’s health care, long-term care and education systems are prepared for the immediate challenges of the fall, including a second wave of Covid-19 and the flu season.
- On November 5, 2020, the Ontario government released the 2020 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover, which outlines how the province is protecting people during the Covid-19 pandemic by investing $15.2 billion in health care.
- If you are concerned you were exposed to Covid-19 or have symptoms, take the online Covid-19 self assessment.
- Get tested if you have symptoms compatible with Covid-19, or if you have been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the Covid Alert app. Visit Ontario.ca/covidtest to find the nearest testing location.
- To stay safe, you can download the Covid Alert App free from the Apple and Google Play app stores.
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