As we have previously written about, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, provincial governments across Canada have declared states of emergency and/or states of public health emergency. These declarations confer powers upon provincial governments to make out-of-the-ordinary orders. Under these orders, Ontario and Québec have announced “non-essential” business closures. The classification of a business activity or service as “essential” or “non-essential” will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and it may be the case that a particular business is deemed to fit the criteria to be considered “essential” in one province and not in another.
In this Update, we review the essential service announcements made in the provinces of Ontario and Québec, recommend next steps for organizations to consider going forward and review possible travel restrictions which could potentially be later implemented within Canada.
Read more in our Update entitled "COVID-19: Ontario and Québec governments limit non-essential business operations."
