Timmins bylaw officers are on patrol this weekend.
Earlier this week, the third state of emergency was declared in Ontario since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and another stay-at-home order was put in place.
Local bylaw officers will be making sure businesses are complying with the orders.
"We will be actively visiting all retail stores that are legislated to remain open during the lock down in order to enforce the provincial order and new regulations,” said Sherry Laneville, Enforcement Services supervisor, in a news release. “We will also monitor any stores that must remain closed during this time.”
Over the past year, the city says businesses have been actively provided COVID-19 education to customers and retailers.
"Compliance is now mandatory and charges will be laid if found in contravention of the provincial order," reads the release.
The new measures imposed this week include:
- Limiting non-essential retails to only operate for curbside pickup and delivery between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Deliver of the goods to people is allowed between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.
- Access to shopping malls is limited to specific purposes such as accessing curbside pickup and delivery, via appointment, with one designated location inside the mall and designated locations outside the mall
- Big box stores will only be able to sell groceries, household cleaning supplies, pharmacy items and pet care supplies
- In-person retail by appointment will be allowed between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. and subject to 25 per cent capacity at: safety supply stores; businesses that primarily sell, rent or repair assistive devices, aids or supplies, mobility devices, aids or supplies or medical devices, aids or supplies; rental and leasing services; optical stores that sell prescription eyewear to the public; businesses that sell vehicles, boats and other watercraft; vehicle and equipment repair and essential maintenance and vehicle and equipment rental services; retail stores operated by a telecommunications provider or service can open to buy a cellphone or for repairs and technical support.
- Outdoor garden centres, plant nurseries and indoor greenhouses can operate with the restricted hours and 25 per cent capacity.
The shutdown measures that were already in place include:
- Indoor organized public events and social gatherings are prohibited. The capacity for outdoor organized public events or social gatherings is a maximum of five people, except for gatherings with members of the same household or gatherings with one household and one person from another household who lives alone.
- Personal care services are prohibited.
- Indoor and outdoor dining is prohibited. Restaurants are allowed to operate by take-out, drive-through and delivery.
- Gyms are closed.
- Capacity at weddings, funerals and religious services, rites or ceremonies is limited to 15 per cent capacity per room indoors. This does not include social gatherings associated with these services such as receptions, which are not permitted indoors and are limited to five people outdoors.
