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Toronto update on COVID-19: Where you must wear a mask

TORONTO. ON., JULY 6, 2020 — COVID-19 update for Toronto — Beginning tomorrow, July 7, masks or face coverings will be required in all indoor public spaces to help stop the spread of COVID-19. The mandatory mask or face covering bylaw will include exemptions for those who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons, children under the age of two, and other accommodations.

Face masks and coverings do not replace the need to keep a distance of two metres or six feet from others, wash hands often and stay home when sick. Business owners and operators are required to have a policy on masks or face coverings, to post signage and to train staff on the policy. Information for businesses including a draft policy is available on the City’s website.

Table of Contents

Where you must wear a mask in Toronto starting Tuesday July 7

retail stores
convenience stores
malls, shopping plazas
grocery stores, bakeries
farmer’s markets (indoor sections)
restaurants, bars* (indoors, when permitted to open)
indoor recreational facilities, gyms, swimming pools** (when permitted to open)
libraries
community centres
day camp activities taking place in indoor facilities open to the public
community service agencies
personal service settings
churches, mosque, synagogue, temples and other faith settings
art galleries, museums, aquariums, zoos
banquet halls, convention centres, arenas, stadiums, and other event spaces
open houses and presentation centres for real estate purposes
common areas in hotels, motels and short-term rentals (e.g. lobbies, elevators, meeting rooms)
entertainment facilities including concert venues, theatres, cinemas, casinos

Masks were already made mandatory on the TTC and by certain rideshare apps like Uber.

Where will masks not be required?

Masks will not be required in apartments and condos or in settings such as hospitals and other health facilities. Schools, child care facilities, and patios, are also exempt. Also, Metrolinx says it won’t make masks mandatory on GO Transit despite the new Toronto bylaw but they have installed plastic dividers between seats on some GO buses and trains.

Hi Justin, the dividers will be thoroughly cleaned as part of our rigorous cleaning regime, which includes wiping down and disinfecting all high touch surfaces. In many cases, multiple times a day. You can send your comments/concerns to https://t.co/JehST8Qrqn ^fs— Metrolinx (@Metrolinx) July 3, 2020

How many new cases of COVID-19 in Toronto?

There are 14,678 cases of COVID-19 in the city, an increase of 67 cases since yesterday. There are 160 people hospitalized, with 40 in ICU. In total, 12,844 people have recovered from COVID-19, an increase of 71 cases since yesterday. To date, there have been 1,105 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto.

As of today, Toronto Public Health will be reporting Toronto COVID-19 case numbers on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform.

Provincial Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act orders and the City bylaw on physical distancing remain in effect. Yesterday, the City received 71 complaints related to parks use and physical distancing. Officers spoke to or cautioned more than 2,500 people this month. No tickets were issued yesterday in City parks or squares.

As COVID-19 continues to circulate in the community, residents visiting a beach or park must practise physical distancing and avoid crowding. Residents are reminded that bonfires, the consumption of alcohol and littering are not permitted in parks, beaches or public spaces. If a litter bin is full, residents are asked to take their garbage with them so it can be disposed of properly.

The Government of Ontario is allowing social circles of no more than 10 people who can interact with one another without physical distancing. Learn more about establishing a social circle safely .

Heat warning measures

A Heat Warning remains in effect for Toronto. Extreme heat is associated with negative health impacts ranging from heat stress to heat stroke and death. The City has opened 15 Emergency Cooling Centres (ECCs) for the duration of the Heat Warning issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The cooling centre at Malvern Recreation Community Centre, 30 Sewells Rd., which was closed for repairs, will re-open tomorrow, July 7, at 11 a.m., while the temporary site of the cooling centre at Burrows Hall Community Centre (1081 Progress Ave.) will be closed starting tomorrow. An interactive map is available to help those who need to locate an ECC near them.

To help residents cool off during the Heat Warning, the following eight pools will be open until 11:45 p.m. tonight:

Alex Duff Pool, 779 Crawford St.
Earlscourt Park/Giovanni Caboto Pool, 1369 St. Clair Ave. W.
McGregor Park, 2231 Lawrence Ave. E.
Monarch Park, 115 Felstead Ave.
Parkway Forest, 55 Forest Manor Rd.
Smithfield Park, 175 Mount Olive Dr.
Sunnyside Park/Gus Ryder Pool, 1755 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
Alexandra Park, 275 Bathurst St.

For up-to-date information on extended pool hours, pool locations and regular operating hours, call 311 or visit toronto.ca/swim. Tips to protect yourself from the heat are available on the City’s website.