Step 3 vs. Green Zone: A look at the COVID-19 restrictions in Ottawa and Gatineau

Restaurants rejoice as indoor dining resumes Friday, when Ontario moves into Step 3 of its reopening plan. Ottawa, On. July 15, 2020. (Tyler Fleming / CTV News)

OTTAWA -

Ottawa is spending the first week in Step 3 of Ontario's COVID-19 reopening plan, easing restrictions on indoor dining, movie theatres, gyms and social gatherings.

Meantime, Gatineau has been in the Level 1 green zone of Quebec's COVID-19 restrictions since June 28.

While both cities are sitting in the lowest levels of the province's COVID-19 restrictions, there are different rules on each side of the Ottawa River.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the different rules in Ottawa and Gatineau as the COVID-19 restrictions ease.

Ottawa: Step 3 in Ontario's Roadmap to Reopen plan

Gatineau: Level 1 – Vigilance Zone 

SOCIAL GATHERINGS

Ottawa

• Indoor gatherings and organized public events: Up to 25 people
• Outdoor gatherings: Social gatherings and organized public events up to 100 people with limited exceptions

Gatineau

• Indoor gatherings: Maximum of 10 people from different addresses or the occupants from three households. When people are one metre apart, wearing a mask or face covering is strongly recommended for people who do not have adequate protection against COVID-19.
• Outdoor gatherings: Maximum of 20 people from different addresses or the occupants from three households.

Activities organized in a public place:

• Maximum of 50 people outdoors
• Maximum 25 people allowed in rented halls and indoor public settings

RELIGIOUS SERVICES, RITES OR CEREMONIES, INCLUDING WEDDING SERVICES AND FUNERAL SERVICES

Ottawa

• Indoor and outdoor religious services, rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services, permitted with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of two metres. (Does not apply to receptions)

Gatineau

• A maximum of 250 participants are allowed in a place of worship. (If the place of worship occupies an entire building, the limit applies to the building)
• Wedding ceremony and funerals are limited to 250 people. They must stay seated during the event.
• The reception following the wedding ceremony or funeral is limited to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.

BARS AND RESTAURANTS

Ottawa

• Indoor and outdoor dining permitted with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of two metres and other restrictions.
• No limits on the number of people per table
• Buffets permitted
• Food and drink establishments with dance facilities indoors limited to the number of people who can maintain a physical distance of two metres, with a maximum capacity of 25 per cent indoors or 250 people (whichever is less)
• Last call at 2 a.m.

Gatineau

• Restaurants, bars, breweries and taverns open
• 10 people or three private residences can share the same table. Indoor tables must be two metres apart where there are no partitions between them
• Outdoor terraces can accommodate a maximum of 20 people per table
• An attendance register must be kept

Operators of bars, breweries and taverns must comply with the following conditions:

• 50 per cent of the maximum capacity stipulated on the liquor licence
• Customers must remain seated at the tables
• Dancing and singing are prohibited
• Establishments must close at 2 a.m. (alcohol sales must stop at 12 a.m.)

A patron drinks a beverage at a patio in the ByWard Market in Ottawa, as patios open in Ontario's first phase of re-opening amidst the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, on Saturday, June 12, 2021. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

RETAIL

Ottawa

• Essential and non-essential retail open with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of two metres
• Face masks mandatory in stores

Gatineau

• All stores open. One person per household recommended
• Wearing a mask or face covering is mandatory in enclosed or partially enclosed public places for people age 10 and over.

People line up outside a Lululemon Athletica store in Ottawa, as non-essential retail stores re-open with limited in-store capacity, on the first day of Ontario's first phase of re-opening amidst the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, on Friday, June 11, 2021. (Justin Tang /THE CANADIAN PRESS)

PERSONAL CARE SERVICES

Ottawa

• Open, including services that require the removal of a face covering
• Capacity limited to permit physical distancing of two metres and other restrictions

Gatineau

• All personal care and esthetic care settings and spas are permitted to open
• Reservations are mandatory for spas and a customer register must be kept

Protective barriers are placed between hair washing stations at Salon TOK in Gatineau. The salon is one of many that will be allowed to open in Quebec June 1, 2020. (Leah Larocque / CTV News Ottawa)

SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL FITNESS FACILITIES, PERSONAL FITNESS AND SPORTS

Ottawa

• Indoor fitness centres and gyms open at 50 per cent capacity
• Outdoor fitness centres and facilities open
• Indoor fitness classes and personal training permitted, with maximum capacity of 50 per cent.
• Spectators permitted indoors at a maximum capacity of 50 per cent or 1,000 people (whichever is less). Outdoors, spectators permitted for unseated events at a maximum capacity of 75 per cent or 5,000 people (whichever is less). Events with fixed seating permitted to host spectators at 75 per cent capacity or 15,000 people (whichever is less)
• Sports leagues allowed to operate

Gatineau

• Gyms are open
• Sports and recreational activities outdoors are permitted in public places for groups of up to 50 individuals, while indoor sports and recreational activities permitted with up to 25 individuals from different households
• Organized games and matches as well as leagues, competitions and tournaments are permitted outdoors. 50 spectators are permitted to watch the match or game outdoors.
• Indoors, organized games and matches as well as leagues, competitions and tournaments permitted.
• Facilities for bowling, billiards and darts are open.

CINEMAS

Ottawa

• Indoor cinemas open with a maximum capacity of 50 per cent or 1,000 people (whichever is less)
• Outdoor drive-in movie theatres are allowed to open
• For unseated outdoor events, spectators at a maximum capacity of 75 per cent or 5,000 people (whichever is less). For outdoor events with fixed seating, spectators at a maximum capacity of 75 per cent or 15,000 people (whichever is less)

Gatineau

• Cinemas are open with a maximum of 250 people. A maximum of 3,500 people permitted if room can be divided into 250-person areas 
• Eating and drinking permitted
• Drive-ins permitted with a maximum of 5,000 people. Cars must be spaced so as to respect a distance of one metre between people

The Mayfair Theatre is just one of many cinemas in Ottawa reopening this Friday when Ontario enters Step 3 of reopening. (Peter Szperling / CTV News Ottawa)

PERFORMING ARTS

Ottawa

• Performing arts venues can open indoors with a capacity of 50 per cent or 1,000 people (whichever is less)
• Outdoor venues can open with a capacity of 75 per cent or 5,000 people for unseated events and 75 per cent or 15,000 people for outdoor events with fixed seating.

Gatineau

• Performance venues, auditoriums, indoor stadiums, outdoor stadiums or sites with pre-assigned seats can host a maximum of 3,500 people. The audience must be subdivided into independent sections, each with a maximum of 250 persons.
• Outdoors events with fixed seating can host a maximum of 3,500 people per site

MUSEUMS, ZOOS, AQUARIUMS

Ottawa

• Zoos, landmarks, historical sites, botanical gardens, and similar outdoor attractions open with capacity limited to 50 per cent for ticketed areas indoors and 75 per cent for ticketed areas outdoors and other restrictions
• Amusement parks and waterparks open at 50 per cent capacity indoors and 75 per cent capacity outdoors, with restrictions on rides.  

Gatineau

• Open
• Face masks mandatory in indoor public places

People visit the Canadian Museum of Nature as Ontario enters phase 3 of reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Friday, July 16, 2021. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)