Ontario COVID-19 Construction Restrictions Update
We’re here with you in this, please check our website and socials often for Ontario COVID-19 Construction Restriction Updates, this page is current as of April 17th, 2021.
The recent lockdown restrictions that were announced yesterday, April 16th, 2021, titled: COVID-19: enhanced public health and workplace safety measures have now been posted outlining what residential construction activities, projects and related services are considered essential and permitted to continue.
Based on the new powers allocated to police, anyone working on job sites or in offices may be required to provide proof of employment if stopped.
Ontario Home Builders Association is still looking into this further and will provide more information when possible.
Based on the above mentioned regulation, the following businesses are permitted:
Construction
43. Construction activities or projects and related services, including land surveying and demolition services, that,
(i) are residential construction activities or projects and related services;
(j) prepare a site for an institutional, commercial, industrial or residential development, including any necessary excavation, grading, roads or utilities infrastructure;
(k) are necessary to temporarily close construction sites that have paused, or that are not active, to ensure ongoing public safety;
Supply chain
Businesses allowed to open if they supply essential:
- support
- products
- supplies
- systems
- services, including processing, packaging, warehousing, distribution, delivery and maintenance
Maintenance
Maintenance, repair and property management services that manage and maintain the safety, security, sanitation and operation of institutional, commercial, industrial and residential properties and buildings are allowed.
Real estate (including pre-sale construction)
No open houses – showing a property permitted by appointment only.
What is considered essential work?
Based on the new regulation, we believe the following activities continue to be permitted as essential work including:
- Renovations whenever they commence
- Homebuilding regardless of the permit date
- Landscaping
- Grading
- Excavating
- Site servicing
- Finishings
- Tarion Warranty Services.
Health, Safety, and Sanitization Resources
Please, as business owners and employees, continue to invest in and enhance health, safety and sanitation protocols as new COVID-19 variants become more contagious and require more vigilance on job sites.
The Ministry of Labour is actively inspecting job sites on a construction blitz, issuing tickets and shutting down sites that are not in compliance.
Members should review the Ministry of Labour’s guidelines for construction here and implement any infection prevention and control procedures not already in place.
Also, please consult other supporting resources including OHBA’s COVID webpage, check out this template for COVID workplace health and safety plans (which all workplaces must have) IHSA resources, and of course Construction Workplace Safety Training’s article on COVID-19 workplace protocols.
Please, contact us if you need help with your COVID-19 safety plans, or if you would like our help in setting up a contact tracing system similar to ours.