Step One vs. Yellow Zone: A look at COVID-19 restrictions in Ottawa and Gatineau

Customers enter Les Promenades shopping centre in Gatineau.

OTTAWA -

The Quebec government further relaxes COVID-19 restrictions in Gatineau and western Quebec today, allowing indoor gatherings and bars, breweries and taverns to reopen.

The Outaouais is one of ten regions across Quebec moving to the "Level 2 – Early Warning" yellow zone.

Under the yellow zone restrictions, indoor gatherings are permitted with members of up to two households. A maximum of eight people from different households or all the occupants from two households are allowed to gather outdoors.   Bars, taverns and brasseries are also allowed to reopen at 50 per cent capacity, but singing and dancing remains prohibited.

As Gatineau enters the "Level 2 – Early Warning" zone, Ottawa is spending its first week in Step One of Ontario's COVID-19 reopening plan. In Ottawa, outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people are permitted, bar and restaurant patios are open and non-essential businesses are open at 15 per cent capacity.

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

Ottawa:  Ottawa is in Step One of Ontario's three step Roadmap to Reopen plan.

Gatineau: Gatineau is in the Level 2 – Early Warning (yellow) zone

SOCIAL GATHERINGS

Ottawa

• Indoor gatherings: Prohibited
• Outdoor gatherings: Social gatherings and organized public events for up to 10 people are permitted.

Gatineau

• Indoor gatherings: Limited to the occupants of two households
• Outdoor gatherings: Maximum of eight people from different households or all occupants from two households

A party is seen in an image from shutterstock.com

INTERPROVINCIAL TRAVEL

Ottawa

The Ontario government has imposed a non-essential travel ban on travel between Ontario and Quebec. The restrictions are scheduled to end on June 16.

Gatineau

The Quebec government says travel between regions and cities is "not recommended, but it is possible."

Quebec says its border between Quebec and Ontario is also closed to non-essential travel.

A driver shows identification to an Ottawa police officer as a checkpoint as vehicles enter the province from Quebec Monday April 19, 2021 in Ottawa. (Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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

Ottawa

• Indoors: 15 per cent capacity of the room is permitted
• Outdoors: Permitted with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of two metres

Gatineau

• A maximum of 250 participants are allowed in a place of worship.
• Weddings and funerals in places of worship limited to 50 people

BARS AND RESTAURANTS

Ottawa

Outdoor dining permitted with four people per table from different households

Indoor dining rooms remain closed

Gatineau

Restaurants: Open (including patios). The occupants of a maximum of two private residences can share the same table

Bars, breweries, taverns: Open with the following restrictions:

• 50 per cent of the maximum capacity stipulated on the liquor licence
• Occupants from maximum two private residences per table
• Customers must remain seated at their table
• Dancing and singing are prohibited

Terrasses are also open.

Mayor Jim Watson raises his glass towards reporters and passersby as he joins his sister Jayne Watson, right, and her husband Peter Froislie on a pub's outdoor patio in Ottawa as part of a photo opportunity to encourage residents to be kind and generous to service workers, 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)

RETAIL

Ottawa

• Essential and select retail at 25 per cent capacity and can sell all goods (including discount and big box)
• Non-essential retail at 15 per cent capacity
• Retail stores in malls closed unless the stores have a street facing entrance

Gatineau

• All stores open. One person per household recommended
• Shopping malls must ensure adequate supervision of common areas to avoid any gathering or loitering

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

• Closed

Gatineau

• All personal care and esthetic care settings 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 sports and fitness centres are closed
• Outdoor fitness classes, outdoor sports training and outdoor personal training allowed, with 10 patrons maximum
• Outdoor fitness classes allowed with 10 people maximum

Gatineau

• Gyms are open
• Sports and recreational activities permitted in public places in groups of up to 12 people
• Supervised sports and recreational activities may be carried out in groups of no more than 25 individuals. Organized games and matches as well as leagues are permitted, but spectators are not recommended.

CINEMAS

Ottawa

• Indoor cinemas are closed
• Outdoor drive-in movie theatres are allowed to open

Gatineau

• Cinemas are open with a maximum of 250 people
• Eating and drinking permitted

Movie theatre popcorn seen in this generic file photo. (Pixabay / Pexels)