Businesses and Workplaces

For information on regulatory restrictions in place for the regions of Ontario and the City of Ottawa, please see the Government of Ontario COVID-19 response framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open and the City of Ottawa Provincial and City Rules. 
For each zone in the Ontario COVID-19 response framework, there are different public health and workplace safety measures for businesses and organizations. More information on what each zone means regarding the provincial restrictions.

On this page:

• Adapting your business for COVID-19 – Requirements for employers
• Being COVID Wise
  • Use of masks
  • Isolate when you're sick - Employee and customer screening
  • Stay two metres apart
  • Exercise proper hand hygiene, cleaning information
• Resources for employees and training
• Signage and sector specific resources

Adapting your business for COVID-19

Plan for the potential impact of COVID-19 in your workplace by considering the following actions:

• Identify possible work-related exposure and health risks to your employees and how to reduce these risks.
• Prepare for possible increased numbers of employee absences due to illness in employees and their family members and/or dismissals of early childhood programs and schools.
• Explore the flexibility of policies and practices, such as teleworking arrangements, flexible hours, staggering start times, use of email and teleconferencing. 
• Establish a process for ongoing communication with employees and business partners.
• Develop a contingency and business continuity plan

Develop your COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan – new requirement as of Nov 2020 

This safety plan must:

• Describe measures/procedures that have been or will be implemented in the business, place, facility or establishment to reduce spread of COVID-19.
• Include measures for screening, physical distancing, masks, cleaning, disinfecting and personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Be in writing and made available to any person for review on request.
• Be posted in a visible place to come to the attention of those working or attending the location.

Resources:

• COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit for Employers web page
• Rapid Testing for COVID-19 screening in the workplace web page
• Employer Protocol When a Staff Member Tests Positive for COVID-19 (pdf - 112 KB)
• Staff High-Risk Contact Letter (pdf - 181 KB)
• Sample letter to employees to promote vaccine (pdf - 49KB)
• Workplace COVID-19 Measures Audit Tool (pdf - 663 KB)
• Workplace COVID-19 Measures Checklist (pdf - 642 KB)
• Resources to prevent COVID-19 in the workplace and sector specific guidance
• COVID-19.ontario.ca
• Ontario’s COVID-19 Response Framework and corresponding regulations: O. Reg. 82/20, (Lockdown), O. Reg. 263/20 (Red-Control), and O. Reg. 364/20 (Green-Prevent, Yellow-Protect, and Orange-Restrict) provides the provincially legislated standards that all groups are held to.
• Develop your COVID-19 workplace safety plan - Government of Ontario

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Being COVID Wise

Being COVID Wise is how we will be able to resume economic and social activities while COVID-19 is still in our community. Information and resources for businesses are available to help meet current regulations and adapt your workplace to be COVID Wise. As a workplace and business, being COVID Wise will help keep both customers and employees safer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you so much for your hard work and efforts to help keep our community healthy! 

In a workplace setting, being COVID Wise means: 

• Posting signage to remind everyone about physical distancing and wearing a mask
• Following the mandatory mask bylaw 
• Ensuring employees wear a mask whenever they cannot maintain two metre distance (including in break rooms and non-public spaces) 
• Encouraging customers wear a mask in outdoor settings if they cannot maintain two metre distance  
• Screening all employees for symptoms of COVID-19 before each shift and ensuring they stay home if they have symptoms or feel unwell 
• Changing processes and/or using visible markers to ensure two metre physical distancing
• Reminding employees and customers to maintain physical distance of two metres (six feet) at all times and as much as possible
• Providing hand sanitizer or hand washing stations for customers and employees 
• Employees are informed/trained on the importance of all these measures

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  Wear a mask

In a workplace setting, being COVID Wise about masks means: 

• Following the Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law
  
  • Ottawa Public Health - Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law: Summary for businesses and employers (pdf - 219 KB)
• Ensuring employees wear a mask whenever they cannot maintain two metre distance (including in break rooms and non-public spaces) 
• Encouraging customers wear a mask in outdoor settings if they cannot maintain two metre distance  
• Posting signage to remind everyone about wearing a mask. 

Visit OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Masks for more information. 

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  Isolate yourself when you're sick

To ensure employees are well and fit for work:

• Employees should complete a health-screening questionnaire before each work shift.

• COVID-19 Screening Tool for Workplaces/Post-Secondary Institutions

• Do not permit employees to come to work if they have symptoms of COVID-19.
  
• If employees develop symptoms while at work, they should notify their supervisor and return home. If symptoms are life-threatening, call 9-1-1.
• Employees with symptoms should visit our  COVID-19 webpage for the latest guidance on next steps to take. There is currently no requirement for an asymptomatic employee to be tested before starting work.
• Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and follow the Self-Isolation Instructions for Novel Coronavirus to reduce the spread.
  

• The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB); may be available to employees who may not have sick leave but must stay home from work when sick.
• Employees who are caregivers to loved ones sick from COVID-19 and must self-isolate themselves may be able to access the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB).

Encourage customers to do their own health assessment and prevent entry into your establishment if they have symptoms by posting signage at your entrance. 

Encourage your customers and employees to download the COVID Alert app today to protect themselves and others. The app can let people know of possible exposures before any symptoms appear.

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  Stay two metres (six feet) apart from others

Develop a physical distancing plan. Think about how you will maintain distance between customers and employees. Post directional signage to support your plan throughout your business and at the entrance.

• Post signage to remind customers and employees about physical distancing.
• Some businesses may have gathering restrictions that are limited to the number of people that can maintain two metre physical distance. Refer to Ontario.ca - What each zone means for more information.
• Considerations for Capacity Limits (pdf - 199 KB)
• Offer delivery or curbside pick-up if possible. Consult the Workplace Safety & Prevention Services Guidance on Health and Safety for Curbside Pickup and Delivery Services during COVID-19.

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  Exercise proper hand hygiene

• Display posters promoting hand-washing and respiratory hygiene
• Businesses are required to make alcohol-based hand rub available at all entrances and exits as part of the Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law.
• Follow Public Health Ontario cleaning guidance to keep workplaces clean and hygienic. Increase frequency of cleaning high-touch surfaces such as elevator buttons, door handles keyboards, mouse, phones, desks, computers, seating areas, lunch tables, kitchens, washrooms, etc.

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Resources for employees and training

In a workplace setting, being COVID Wise means employees are informed on the importance of and how to implement all health and safety measures.

• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety- Online course for employees: Returning to work safely during the COVID-19 pandemic 
• Managing through COVID-19: How to support your employees’ mental health
• Mental health resources for employees

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Signage and sector specific resources

Business Reopening Toolkit
The Business Reopening Toolkit, prepared in partnership between the City of Ottawa Economic Development Services and Ottawa Public Health (OPH), is your first stop for key resources including signage, tools, guidance documents, and more. The toolkit complements the public health information found on OPH’s Businesses and Workplaces page. It is intended to provide support to businesses in preparing for safe reopening and operation, subject to direction from the Province of Ontario. 

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