On April 3, 2020, the Government of Ontario
announced changes to its essential services
list that are designed to reduce the number of
businesses that are designated as essential. The reason for doing
so is the government's desire to reduce the number of active
workplaces in the province in an effort to contain the spread of
COVID-19.
The amendments to the list are extensive and we will be
analyzing the full impact for a wide range of businesses over the
coming days. The following are a few examples of significant
changes from the
original list:
- Additional categories of retailers will be required to close
their premises and focus, if feasible, on curbside pickup and
delivery. These include hardware and auto parts stores, pet stores,
office supply and computer product retailers and sellers of safety
supplies;
