A.

Lockdown Measures of Canada

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated challenges on many anteriors, both for Canadians and
businesses. Access to justice and the effective functioning of our justice and court system are
fundamental to a just and fair Canadian society. In these exceptional circumstances, many Canadians,
businesses and other organizations may be unable to meet numerous time limits currently set out in
federal legislation, including rules for court civil cases and some key regulatory matters.

On January 6, 2021, the Québec government announced new COVID-19 restrictions that will take effect
from January 9, 2021, through February 8, 2021.

The primary measure, which Premier François Legault described as an "electroshock" to curb the spread
of COVID-19, is the imposition of an overnight curfew. The government will enforce an overnight curfew
between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. In the wake of similar COVID-19-related lockdown
measures in France and Great Britain, Québec will become the first Canadian province to impose such a
curfew. Police officers will have the power to intercept individuals found outside during the curfew
hours and to issue fines ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 to those who cannot show a valid reason for
breaking curfew.

In addition, regardless of the nature of the business, remote work will be mandatory for individuals who
work in offices, unless "their presence [is] necessary to pursue the organization's activities." Under the
confinement mandate, employers will have to show a compelling need to have employees present at
any time in the workplace (for example, production employees are likely to qualify).

According to the government's announcement, manufacturers and construction companies must reduce
their activities "to a minimum to complete commitments." This is in contrast to what Premier Legault
announced during his press conference. Initially, he indicated that manufacturers should limit their
production to only what is essential. Given these differing instructions, we will continue to monitor the
situation and await the official government decree to be published in order to determine to what extent
these new restrictions will impact manufacturers.

Further, the government will extend measures initially announced before the holidays concerning
commercial retailers through February 8, 2021. It should be noted that, similar to Ontario, retailers will
now be allowed to provide curbside pickup services.

With respect to schools, the government announced that preschool and elementary schools would
reopen as planned on January 11, 2021. However, high schools will remain closed until January 18, 2021.
Educational childcare services (or daycare centres) will be allowed to remain open, but "[d]rop-in
daycare centres remain closed."

B. Emergency Measures against local transmission

Coordination of roles and responsibilities

Preparedness and response to an influenza pandemic require a whole-of-government approach to

ensure the commitment of all necessary resources to minimize health, societal and economic impacts,
and these contributions must be coordinated. The health sector pandemic preparedness activities that
are described in the CPIP require the participation of international and FPT levels of government;
furthermore, many operational functions are carried out by a range of professional disciplines within
and beyond the health sector, such as health practitioners, international regulators, vaccine
manufacturers and non-governmental organizations. The delineation of the responsibilities of the FPT
governments for these functions, and the mechanisms for their collaboration, are major aspects of
preparedness described in the CPIP.
Internationally, the World Health Organization (WHO) conducts global risk assessments, makes the
declaration of a public health emergency of international concern, selects the pandemic vaccine strain
and determines the switch from seasonal to pandemic vaccine production. Liaison with this and other
international organizations in pandemic management is a federal government responsibility.

The coordination of a pan-Canadian response requires collective infrastructure and coordinated

activities; for example, the federal government is responsible for the regulatory aspects of testing and
approvals for influenza vaccines and antiviral medications, for negotiating with manufacturers and
establishing contracts for the FPT purchase of influenza vaccines and antiviral medications, and for
maintenance and mobilization of medical supplies in the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile (NESS)
and by facilitating the acquisition of additional suppliesFootnote10. The PTs are responsible for the
purchasing, distribution and administration of vaccines and antiviral medications within their
jurisdictions.

Risk management approach

The updated CPIP introduces a risk management approach to decision-making to manage the
uncertainties that are inherent in preparedness planning for pandemic influenza. Risk management is a
systematic approach to setting the best course of action in an uncertain environment by identifying,
assessing, acting on and communicating risks. This approach is supported by the CPIP principles of
evidence-based decision-making, proportionality and flexibility, and a precautionary/protective
approach in uncertain conditions.

Tools for pandemic preparedness planning

Given the large number of variables that are involved in influenza pandemic planning, comprehensive
risk management is challenging. The updated CPIP contains three broad planning tools: planning
assumptions; pandemic planning scenarios; and planning phases and triggers for action.

Planning assumptions are hypothetical assumptions rooted in evidence, which serve as a guide to
manage uncertainty and provide a useful framework for planning phases. As a pandemic unfolds,
emerging evidence will replace the assumptions and be used to guide the response.

To help with risk identification, multiple scenarios have been defined to support planning and evidence-
informed decision-making. Planning scenarios provide a starting point to think through implications and
risks that would be associated with pandemics of varying population impacts, from low to high.

Descriptive terms for planning phases, such as the start, peak and end of a pandemic wave, are defined
in the CPIP. Previously, the WHO’s phase terminology (interpandemic, alert, pandemic, transition) was
used to describe pandemic activity in the country or in a jurisdiction within Canada. Triggers for action
provide guidance for initiation of FPT activities and for their modification and cessation. Pandemic
response should be appropriate to the local situation to ensure PT or regional/local level response is
appropriate to the situation.

C. Economic provisions

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a serious health threat to people around the world and a significant
disruption to daily life. It is having a major impact on the global and Canadian economies. Every sector of
the Canadian economy is affected. Some sectors, such as the energy, travel and hospitality, and service
industries, are particularly hard hit.
The public health actions needed to contain the spread of the virus, such as school closures, states of
emergency, and physical distancing measures, while necessary, are themselves significantly impacting
economic activity.

However, it’s important to underscore that while the impact is large, it will be temporary. Authorities
around the world have taken bold and necessary measures to contain the spread of the virus and to
support people and businesses through a very challenging time.

What the Bank is doing

At first, the goal was to help Canadians bridge this difficult period by making credit affordable and
available. As many economic activities are temporarily shut down, companies rely on credit to continue
to pay their employees, and households need credit to continue to meet their basic needs. But they may
be unable to borrow if financial turmoil curtails lending activity.

The central bank must therefore intervene to prevent a sudden contraction of credit when credit is most
needed. If Canadians can’t borrow to weather an economic storm, the impact on the economy would be
worse, the recovery will take longer and there will be long-lasting damage to Canada’s productive
capacity.

Achieving the primary mandate of keeping inflation close to target requires us to stabilize the economy
and employment first. In normal times, the achievement of inflation objective by setting the policy
interest rate at the appropriate level. However, during major disruptions to the economy and financial
markets such as those experience with COVID-19, the need to take more comprehensive measures to
ensure that the financial system continues to play its role of providing credit where it is needed.

For these reasons, the Bank of Canada is acting in several ways to support the economy and financial
system and stands ready to take any and all actions that we can to protect the well-being of Canadians
during this difficult time.

Monetary policy

In response to the economic impacts stemming from COVID-19, they lowered interest rates to ¼ per
cent to support economic activity. These moves support consumers and businesses by lowering
payments on existing and new loans throughout the economy.

They launched a range of liquidity facilities and purchase programs to keep markets functioning, credit
flowing and allow interest rate cuts to work their way through the economy.

To support the recovery, the Bank has committed to continuing large-scale asset purchases of longer-
term debt. The combination of the very low policy interest rate and asset purchases is providing
considerable monetary stimulus.

The Bank has additional tools in its monetary policy toolkit that can be used to further support the
economy and achieve the inflation target.

Support to key financial markets

They are intervening to support key financial markets to ensure they continue to function properly.

In times of market turmoil, financial institutions may be reluctant to act in their normal role as market
makers for bonds and other financial assets. Market makers hold inventories of securities and quote
prices at which they will buy and sell—activities that may become prohibitively risky when the prices of
these securities are fluctuating widely. Buyers and sellers may then find it difficult to trade—in other
words, the market becomes illiquid.

This is particularly problematic in the case of friction in the market for Government of Canada bonds,
which are often held as the safest Canadian-dollar asset. Those holding a bond may find it difficult to sell
it to obtain cash, while those wishing to buy a bond for its safety may be unable to obtain it. Given the
central role of Government of Canada bonds, including as a benchmark for other interest rates, such
market illiquidity can have pervasive effects through the financial system.

As key financial markets became strained during this period, the Bank established several large-scale
asset purchase programs to increase liquidity in core funding markets. With core markets functioning
normally and the economy reopening, we have discontinued or scaled back some of the short-term
liquidity facilities, and purchases of longer-term debt has shifted to supporting economic growth.

Asset purchases

The following programs are in active operation:

Government of Canada Bond Purchase Program (GBPP): The Bank purchases Government of Canada
bonds in the secondary market to support market functioning and provide monetary stimulus. This
program was established to address strains in the Government of Canada bond market, and to enhance
the effectiveness of other actions taken to support core funding markets. More recently, as market
conditions improved, the focus of the GBPP has shifted to providing quantitative easing to support the
resumption of growth in output and employment and to achieve our inflation target.

Provincial Bond Purchase Program (PBPP): This program aims to further support the liquidity and well-
functioning of provincial government funding markets by purchasing eligible securities in the secondary
market.

Corporate Bond Purchase Program (CBPP): This program supports the liquidity and proper functioning of
the corporate debt market. A liquid and efficient market for Canadian-dollar corporate bonds allows
companies, currently challenged by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to continue to obtain
necessary longer-dated financing to support their operations, ultimately aiding the Canadian economy.
It also strengthens the pass-through of monetary policy actions to borrowers.

Commercial Paper Purchase Program (CPPP): This program supports the flow of credit to the economy
by alleviating strains in Canada’s commercial paper markets, a key source of short-term financing to
support the ongoing needs of a wide range of firms and public authorities.

The following programs have been discontinued:

Bankers’ Acceptance Purchase Facility (BAPF): This program supported the market for bankers'
acceptances, a key source of financing for small and medium-sized corporate borrowers.

Canada Mortgage Bond Purchase Program (CMBP): Financial institutions use Canada Mortgage Bonds
(CMBs) to finance their mortgage lending to Canadian homeowners. By purchasing CMBs in the
secondary market, this program helped provide the means for financial institutions to renew mortgages
during this period, as well as supported the flow of credit more generally.

Provincial Money Market Purchase Program (PMMP): This program was an asset purchase facility that
supported a liquid and well-functioning market for short-term provincial borrowing.

Balance sheet expansion

These interventions, which involve acquiring financial assets and lending to financial institutions,
increase the size of the Bank’s balance sheet. This balance sheet expansion, in conjunction with our
other actions, helps get the financial system functioning properly. A well-functioning financial system
helps the economy recover once the restrictions to contain the virus have been lifted.

Risk mitigation

The Bank has designed these programs in a way that prudently manages the financial risk to taxpayers.
These programs mitigate risk by including term-to-maturity limits, minimum credit ratings, counterparty
limits and concentration limits. When external asset managers are used, they are subject to strict
conflict-of-interest requirements, well-defined mandates with limited discretion and strong Bank
oversight.

While the Bank of Canada Act provides the legal authority to undertake these purchases, we have
collaborated closely with the federal government to obtain indemnity agreements on the major
purchase programs. Government indemnification against losses provides additional assurance that the
use of these programs will remain closely tied to the Bank’s inflation control objective and is a common
approach taken by other jurisdictions for these types of central bank programs.

Reporting

The Bank regularly reports on the results of its large-scale asset purchase programs. Our goal is to be
transparent while protecting commercially sensitive information and trade-specific detail that could
impact the fair market value of the Bank’s purchases.

They report the total holdings of assets purchased through these programs on our weekly and monthly
balance sheets. These programs also have dedicated webpages where the terms and conditions, as well
as results of purchase operations, are available.

Finally, they will release transaction-level details of these programs with a five-year lag, or shortly after
the programs are wound up, whichever comes first.

D. Healthcare Provisions

Public Safety Canada has developed a set of functions deemed essential in the context of the COVID-19
pandemic to help provinces/territories, Indigenous communities, and municipalities protect their
communities while maintaining the reliable operation of critical infrastructure services and functions to
ensure the health, safety, and economic well-being of the population. These services and functions can
also help the private sector self-identify as essential.

These services and functions are considered essential to preserving life, health and basic societal
functioning. These include, but are not limited to, the functions performed by first responders, health
care workers, critical infrastructure workers (e.g., hydro and natural gas), and workers who are essential
to supply critical goods such as food and medicines. Workers who deliver essential services and
functions should continue to do their jobs provided they have no symptoms of COVID-19 disease.
Employers of these workers should take all possible steps to protect their health and safety by
implementing practices and procedures recommended by public health authorities and providing
appropriate protective equipment and products. Further, workers who can perform their tasks remotely
should do so.

Municipal, provincial, territorial or Indigenous jurisdictions have the legislative authority to implement
and execute response actions within their jurisdictions, while Public Safety Canada has a key role to play
to facilitate and enable critical infrastructure security and resilience.
As many organizations are determining what services and functions are essential to the continuity of
operations and incident response, Public Safety Canada has compiled a non-exhaustive list of essential
services and functions to support this effort and assist in enabling the movement of critical
infrastructure workers within and between jurisdictions. These essential services and functions are
advisory in nature. This guidance is not, nor should it be considered to be a federal directive or standard.

 Workers providing COVID-19 testing, who perform critical clinical research needed for COVID-19
response. Caregivers (e.g., physicians, dentists, psychologists, mid-level practitioners, nurses and
assistants, infection control and quality assurance personnel, pharmacists, physical and
occupational therapists and assistants, social workers, counsellors, speech pathologists and
diagnostic and therapeutic technicians and technologists). Hospital and laboratory personnel
(including accounting, administrative, admitting and discharge, engineering, epidemiological,
source organs, plasma and blood donation, food service, housekeeping, medical records,
information technology and operational technology, nutritionists, sanitarians, respiratory
therapists, etc.)
 Workers in other medical facilities (including ambulatory health and surgical, blood banks,
clinics, community mental health, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation, end stage renal
disease, health departments, home health care, hospices, hospitals, long term care,
procurement organizations, psychiatric facilities, and rural health clinics)
 Manufacturers, technicians, logistics and warehouse operators, and distributors of medical
equipment, medical devices, personal protective equipment (PPE), medical gases, medical
isotopes, pharmaceuticals and other health products, blood and blood products, vaccines,
testing materials, cannabis for medical purposes, laboratory supplies, cleaning, sanitizing,
disinfecting or sterilization supplies, tissue and paper towel products, and safety gear/clothing
 Public health/community health workers, including those who compile, model, analyze and
communicate public health information
 Blood and plasma donors and the employees of the organizations that operate and manage
related activities
 Workers that manage health plans, billing, and health information, who cannot practically work
remotely
 Workers who conduct public health functions, conducting epidemiologic surveillance, compiling,
analyzing and communicating public health information, who cannot practically work remotely
 Workers performing cybersecurity functions at healthcare and public health facilities, who
cannot practically work remotely
 Workers performing security, incident management, and emergency operations functions at or
on behalf of healthcare entities, who cannot practically work remotely
 Workers who support food, shelter, and social services, addictions treatment and outreach,
supervised consumption sites and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or
otherwise needy individuals, such as those residing in shelters or children in care
 Pharmacy employees
 Workers performing mortuary services, including funeral homes, crematoriums, and cemetery
workers
 Workers who coordinate with other organizations to ensure the proper recovery, handling,
identification, transportation, tracking, storage, and disposal of human remains and personal
effects; certify cause of death; and facilitate access to mental/behavioral health services to the
family members, responders, and survivors of an incident
 Health care professionals providing emergency care including dentists optometrists and physio-
therapists
  Workers that provide critical personal support services in home and also provide residential
services for individuals with disabilities, including those who maintain equipment for those with
disabilities
 Workers required to carry out construction and restoration projects and services associated with
the health sector, including new facilities, expansions, renovations and conversions of spaces
that could be repurposed for health care space

E. School and educational measures

Measures used in the school setting to mitigate risks of COVID-19 transmission can include both
personal preventive practices taken by individuals to protect themselves and others, as well as
community-based measures implemented by PTs, municipalities, Indigenous community leadership,
school boards or individual schools to protect the school and surrounding community.

The modified hierarchy of controls provides a useful approach and helps inform the list of risk mitigation
measures provided in this guidance. Risk mitigation measures that are most protective involve physically
separating people from each other through physical distancing and physical barriers. Less protective
measures rely on individuals consistently following personal preventive practices such as respiratory
etiquette, hand hygiene, and wearing non-medical masks. Given that physical distancing is not always
possible in schools, it will be important to "layer" multiple measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19
spread in schools. While some risk mitigation measures, such as the practice and promotion of personal
preventive practices, should consistently take place, other measures should be proportionate with the
risk in the school and community. Schools should consult with their PHAs for information about local
COVID-19 transmission.

For mitigation measures specific to employees (for example, staff and volunteers in child/youth
settings), such as the use of personal protective equipment, the Risk mitigation tool for
workplaces/businesses operating during the COVID-19 pandemic is available and should be considered
in addition to relevant guidance from Occupational Health & Safety advice. In some cases, staff or
teachers (such as occasional / supply teachers) work in multiple settings. It will be important for school
administrators to consult with their PHAs in advance to conduct a risk assessment and to identify
potential mitigation measures/ policies based on their community needs, relevant P/T guidance, and
local epidemiology. Consideration should be given to encourage teachers and staff to wear face masks
and eye protection (such as face shields). The evidence is evolving and guidance will evolve.

Jurisdictions may consider and plan for different education delivery models based on where
children/youth receive instruction. These models could be considered in the context of the initial return
to school or in the instance of an abrupt change in local epidemiology, such as a school or community
level outbreak. Possible models include in-person school attendance, virtual or at-home learning, or a
hybrid of the two. Additional consideration may be given to the progressive introduction of in-person
attendance based on grade level, with primary schools preceding secondary schools Footnote10
Footnote11. The risks, benefits, and practicalities of these options will vary greatly with the age and
needs of the child/youth, individual family circumstances, local epidemiology, and the adoption of risk
mitigation measures. The decision of which education delivery model to choose should take a risk-based
approach and be made in consultation with PHAs in order to balance the benefits of in-person school
attendance with the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the school and community at large.

Consideration of the school setting will help inform how risk mitigation measures are implemented. For
example, while personal preventive practices should consistently be promoted during the COVID-19
pandemic, this may be achieved differently with younger children (for example, primary school) and
older children (for example, middle and secondary schools). The remainder of this section will describe
risk mitigation measures while providing age-appropriate examples based on the Risk mitigation tool for
child and youth settings operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. These examples are not exhaustive,
and school administrators are encouraged to find creative and adaptive ways to mitigate risk that align
with public health advice and are respectful of children/youth, staff and volunteers. Administrators
should engage early with relevant stakeholders, such as representatives of the student body, parents /
guardians, and staff. The school should monitor the uptake of risk-mitigating measures and adjust as
necessary, in consultation with their PHA, to address challenges in implementation. The school should
also ensure accommodations are in place for those with disabilities that hinder or prevent personal
preventive practices, physical distancing, and other mitigating measures listed below.

Prohibit individuals who have symptoms of/or have had exposure (in last 14 days) to COVID-19 from
entering the school.

For all ages:

 exclusion policies are in place for children/youth, staff and volunteers who are ill
 PHA advice regarding culturally safe active and / or passive screening for all those entering the
school is followed
 children/youth, staff and volunteers stay at home if ill with symptoms of COVID-19 until criteria
to discontinue isolation have been met, in consultation with the local public health authority
(PHA) or healthcare provider
 communication strategies (including accessible signage) are strengthened to include messaging
about staying at home when exhibiting symptoms of/or after exposure to COVID-19 to
children/youth, families, staff, volunteers in languages/formats appropriate for age
 children/youth are made aware, in non-stigmatizing age and disability-appropriate language,
how to identify symptoms of COVID-19 and instruct them to speak to a staff member
immediately if they are experiencing symptoms
 PHAs are consulted for further guidance if there are any questions regarding a child/youth, staff,
or volunteer's ability to attend school (for example, testing, screening children with chronic
respiratory symptoms, self-isolation periods)

E. Safety Protocols

On November 3, 2020, Ontario introduced a five-tiered system with respect to COVID-19 closures and
restrictions. The Government of Ontario will monitor COVID-19 cases across the provinces and place
different regions into different tiers depending on outbreak levels. The five tiers, in order from least
restrictive measures to most restrictive, are (1) “prevent,” (2) “protect,” (3) “restrict,” (4) “control,” and
(5) “lockdown” (with each progressive level indicating increased restrictions on top of the restrictions
that were required by the previous level). Employers may want to be aware of the rules and restrictions
associated with each tier so that they can continue to remain in compliance with public health
requirements.

The following workplace measures are required across the province and apply at every tier:

 Workplaces must conduct pre-entry COVID-19 symptom screenings of all employees and
visitors.
 Wherever possible, workplaces are required to maintain physical distancing of two metres or
more (even if face masks are used).
 Face coverings are required in indoor workplace areas where workers cannot maintain a
distance of least two metres from other persons.
 Eye protection is required for workers who may come within two metres of patrons without
face coverings.

Prevent (Green)
 Organized public events and gatherings are restricted to 50 people indoors and 100 people
outdoors; the weekly incidence rate is less than 10 per 100,000; and the test positivity rate is less than
0.5 percent.

Protect (Yellow)

Workplaces that are open to the public must develop COVID-19 safety plans and they must be
available upon request; the weekly incidence rate is between 10 and 24.9 per 100,000; and the test
positivity rate is between 0.5 percent and 1.2 percent.

Restrict (Orange)

Workplaces that are open to the public must conduct screening questionnaires on all patrons;
the weekly incidence rate is 25 to 39.9 per 100,000; and the test positivity is between 1.3 percent and
2.4 percent.

Control (Red)

Services requiring the removal of face coverings are prohibited; the weekly incidence rate is
greater than or equal to 40 per 100,000; and the test positivity rate is greater than or equal to 2.5
percent.

Lockdown (Grey)

Maximum control measures are implemented (return to Stage 1) with gathering limits and
widespread closures.

Ontario has amended the regulations under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19)
Act, 2020, and the rules for areas in “lockdown” are similar to the previous rules for areas in “Stage 1” of
reopening. Businesses that are not listed in Schedule 2 of O.Reg. 82/20 are not permitted to open while
the region is in lockdown. Businesses that are permitted to open must adhere to all applicable laws,
including the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and the advice, recommendations, and instructions of
public health officials.

On November 23, 2020, at 12:01 a.m., the Toronto and Peel Region entered the “lockdown” tier for 28
days. The lockdown framework includes the following restrictions:

 Outdoor gatherings are limited to 10 people.

 Indoor private gatherings are restricted to persons who live in the same household, and only
essential support persons or emergency repair persons are exempted.
 Persons who live alone are permitted to interact with one other person outside of their
households.
 Indoor recreation and sports facilities, gyms, and pools are closed.
 Casinos, bingo halls, and gaming establishments are closed.
 Personal care services are closed.
 Nonessential retail operations may operate only through curbside pickup and delivery.
 Essential businesses such as supermarkets, grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores,
discount and big-box retailers selling groceries; stores that sell beer, wine, and liquor; safety
supply stores; and convenience stores are permitted to operate, but they must limit their
capacity to 50 percent.
 All essential businesses in Toronto that are permitted to remain open must limit their capacity
to 50 percent.
 Restaurants are permitted only to offer takeout and delivery services. All indoor dining and
outdoor patios are closed;
 Manufacturing, agriculture, and most construction projects are allowed to continue operating.
  Schools, childcare services, and before- and after-school programs remain open.
 In addition to the above restrictions, all businesses and organisations in the grey lockdown zones
that are permitted to open must have COVID-19 workplace safety plans.

Québec

Québec’s COVID-19 response also consists of placing regions into separate tiers. Regardless of which tier
a region falls under, everyone is required to maintain physical distancing, wear face coverings, and
engage in “alternative greeting practices” that do not include touching. Québec will place each region
into a tier after public health authorities review the epidemiological situation, transmission control, and
healthcare system capacity.

Level 1 – Vigilance (Green)

Organized public activities are restricted to 50 people indoors and 250 outdoors. Bars, taverns, and
casinos may operate at 50 percent capacity with alcohol and food sales ending at midnight. These types
of businesses must collect contact tracing information. This level corresponds to weak community
spread.

Level 2 – Early Warning (Yellow)

The same restrictions as above apply, but this level is required as soon as viral transmission grows.

Level 3 – Alert (Orange)

Organized public activities are restricted to 25 people for both indoor and outdoor locations. No alcohol
or food sales are permitted after 11:00 p.m., and there may only be a maximum of six patrons per table.
Contact tracing information is also still required. This level is required when viral transmission is deemed
higher.

Level 4 – Maximum Alert (Red)

Organized public activities are prohibited. Dining rooms must close, with only delivery, takeout, and
drive-through services permitted. Saunas and spas must close. All organized sports and recreational
activities must cease, but indoor sports facilities may remain open for individual use as long as dressing
rooms are not used.

On December 2, 2020, the government of Québec announced additional restrictions on

operators of commercial establishments whom are subject to the Act respecting hours and days of
admission to commercial establishments that includes retailers, food stores and drugstores.

Under these new rules, businesses will need to reduce the maximum number of customers in their
establishments by using a formula provided by the government. Once the maximum number of patrons
has been calculated, the business will need to post a sticker on the entrance of its establishment
indicating the number of patrons allowed inside at any give time. Additionally, businesses will also need
to ensure that all patrons wear the appropriate face covering and respect social distancing rules while
inside the building.

The following restrictions now apply:

 Social gatherings of any size at a household with persons who are outside of the household or
“core bubble” are prohibited, whether indoor or outdoor.
 Funerals, weddings, and baptisms are limited to 10 people.
 Religious gatherings and worship services are suspended and may not take place in person.
 Further, on November 24, 2020, British Columbia issued a public safety order under the
Emergency Program Act requiring British Columbians to wear masks in all retail stores and many
 indoor public spaces. According to the order, an “indoor public space” includes the indoor
common area of an office building.
 It is anticipated that Emergency Management BC will issue a further order to enforce
requirements for mask wearing in common areas of workplaces. However, until that order is
issued, the wearing of masks in shared indoor workplaces, including elevators, hallways, lobbies,
and stairwells is likely warranted.
 Employers must review their COVID-19 safety plans.

British Columbia’s order requires employers to review and update their COVID-19 safety plans to ensure
they adequately protect workers from COVID-19 transmission in the workplace. COVID-19 safety plans
are required for all employers in the province. Employers must also remind employees to monitor
themselves daily and stay at home if they present any COVID-19 symptoms.

Other employer obligations under British Columbia’s order

 “[E]mployers must make every effort to provide work from home options.”
 Employers must ensure that workers who attend the workplace participate in a daily health
screening for COVID-19 symptoms.
 Employers must not allow any worker to attend the workplace if the employer is not satisfied
that the worker has performed a daily health check.
 Employers must ensure that all workers and customers maintain appropriate physical distancing
of two metres or more, with extra care to be taken in small office spaces, break rooms, and
kitchens. Employers must review WorkSafeBC’s COVID-19 Safety Plan documentation.

G. Social Protocols

The Johns Hopkins reportFootnote11 also proposes a framework for mitigation strategies according to
the familiar hierarchy of controls, adapted for COVID-19 purposes (see Figure 1). The degree of
importance of these measures is considered to be from top down, with physical distancing being the
most important and personal protective equipment (PPE) and NMMs the least important in terms of
preventing transmission of COVID-19. When planning mitigation strategies, a layered approach using a
combination of measures is superior to the use of individual measures and is particularly important in
settings where implementation of more protective measures is not possible.

 Physical distancing — Employers/operators should restructure physical settings and

responsibilities to adhere to the distance needed between people (e.g., increasing space
between people and/or reducing the number of employees within a space at a given time). In
addition, wherever possible people should have the option to work or access businesses,
schools and other settings from home.
 Engineering controls — creating physical barriers between people when distancing is not
possible; increasing ventilation
 Administrative controls — redistributing responsibilities to reduce contact between individuals,
using technology to facilitate communication
 PPE and NMMs — having people wear medical PPE when required (in health care settings) and
NMMs or cloth face coverings in the community setting
 Setting specific risk assessment tools have been developed for workplaces, child and youth
settings, outdoor settings, and gatherings and events. These tools are intended for use by setting
operators to assist them with assessing the risk of their setting and potential mitigation
measures, but they may also be of value to public health authorities. Note that the jurisdiction’s
applicable Health and Safety legislation must also be followed.