OTTAWA -- Ontario is shutting down indoor dining at Ottawa's restaurants and bars and closing fitness centres and movie theatres for the next four weeks as part of new targeted measures to address rising COVID-19 cases in the capital.

Effective Saturday, Oct. 10 at 12:01 a.m., Ottawa will be moved to a modified Stage 2 for a minimum of 28 days. Ontario is also introducing the new targeted measures in Peel and Toronto.

Ontario is prohibiting indoor food and drink service in restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments in Ottawa, including nightclubs and food court areas in malls.

The following locations in Ottawa must also close for at least the next 28 days:

  • Indoor gyms and fitness centres (i.e. exercise classes and weight and exercise rooms);
  • Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments;
  • Cinemas;
  • Performing arts centres and venues;
  • Spectator areas in racing venues;
  • Interactive exhibits or exhibits with high risk of personal contact in museums, galleries, zoos, science centres, landmarks, etc.;

Ontario is also prohibiting personal care services in Ottawa where face coverings must be removed for service.

As Ottawa moves into the modified Stage 2, capacity limits are being reduced for:

  • Tour and guide services to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors
  • Real Estate open houses to 10 people indoors, where physical distancing can be maintained.
  • In-person teaching and instruction (e.g., cooking class,) to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, with exemptions for schools, child care centres, universities, colleges of applied arts and technology, private career colleges, the Ontario Police College, etc.
  • Meeting and event spaces to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, and
  • Limiting team sports to training sessions (no games or scrimmages).

Schools and places of worship will remain open in Ottawa, and must continue to follow public health measures.

Effective Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 12:01 a.m., wedding receptions will be temporarily suspended in Ottawa.

Ontario previously announced new limits for all social gatherings and organized public events. The new limits are a maximum of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors where physical distancing can be maintained.

Speaking on CTV Morning Live Friday morning, Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brent Moloughney said while the Ontario Government can institute new restrictions, it's up to all Ottawa residents to limit COVID-19 transmission.

"I think we need to do all we can to reduce our interactions. I would say that even if government does begin to introduce greater restrictions, we still need to reduce our interactions because a lot of this is occurring in people's homes, in social settings and restrictions don't easily reach those areas."

On Thursday, Moloughney told reporters that Ottawa Public Health is "not yet seeing the curve slow down." He said Friday morning all Ottawa residents need to socialize with their households only this long weekend.

"I think really it is within our collective control to get this under control. I think that as of a week ago we identified that this is a crisis, that now is the time to reduce our social interactions to bend this curve this time. We've done it before, we can do it again, we know how to do it," he said.

"It's a little worrisome going into a long weekend, which is traditionally a time of gatherings and that is exactly should not happen this weekend. We really need to just stick with our households."