Ontario extends state of emergency and stay-at-home order for at least 2 more weeks

A stay-at-home order will officially remain in effect across Ontario for at least two more weeks, the provincial government has confirmed, thanks to the extension of it ongoing state of emergency.

Declared by Premier Doug Ford on January 12 amid skyrocketing cases of COVID-19, this state of emergency is the second Ontario has been under since the pandemic first hit in early 2020.

For those who don't remember from the first time around, states of emergency must legally be extended every two weeks — otherwise, they expire.

Ford did say when declaring the emergency and stay-at-home orders earlier this month that they would remain in place for at least 28 days, but on paper nothing could be for certain, as his government still needed to extend it before the expiry date (which would have been this Tuesday at 12:01 a.m).

With the formal extension now complete, Ontario will remain in its strictest form of lockdown to date until at least February 9.

"Today, the government extended the declared provincial emergency for another 14 days. The declaration of emergency made under section 7.0.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA), originally declared on January 12, 2021, will now expire on February 9, 2021, unless extended further," reads a release issued by the government on Monday.

"All orders under the EMCPA, including O. Reg 11/21 (Stay-at-Home Order), O. Reg 8/21 (Enforcement of COVID-19 Measures) and O. Reg 13/21 (Residential Evictions) were also extended. Orders under the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA) continue to be in force."

What this means is that anyone caught violating the stay-at-home order could still face fines and prosecution under both the EMPCA and the Reopening Ontario Act.

Indoor social gatherings are prohibited, outdoor gatherings are capped at five people, and residents are able to leave their homes only for essential reasons, per the stay-at-home order.