Message from Public Health Sudbury and Districts:

To all businesses and organizations (workplaces) within the Public Health Sudbury & Districts Service Area:


In response to key public health and health care indicators starting to show signs of improvement, the Government of Ontario eased COVID-19 public health measures effective January 31, 2022, at 12:01 a.m. by moving to Ontario’s Step 3 Rules. In comparison with the province, Public Health Sudbury & Districts is no longer experiencing marked differences in key COVID-19 metrics and trends. Our area, as with the rest of the province, is experiencing widespread circulation of the highly transmissible Omicron variant resulting in elevated hospitalization rates, outbreaks in high-risk settings, case and test positivity rates and, sadly, deaths. The protection provided by public health measures and high vaccination rates remains critically important. However, as our local COVID-19 trends now align with those of the province, our local Medical Officer of Health has determined that our local public health measures should also align with those in force across Ontario.

On February 5, our local Medical Officer of Health, rescinded the Letter of Instruction that came into effect January 13. As a result, businesses, organizations, places and individuals within Sudbury and Manitoulin districts are subject to the measures in Ontario’s Step 3 Rules. Please refer to O. Reg. 364/20 Rules for Areas at Step 3 for the complete list of measures and conditions that apply to certain businesses, organizations, places, and individuals.

Mandatory proof of vaccination is still required in many settings throughout Ontario, including our service area. Requirements are in effect for:

  • restaurants, bars, and other food or drink establishments
  • meeting and event spaces, including conference centres or convention centres
  • indoor areas of facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities
  • casinos, bingo halls, and other gaming establishments
  • concert venues, theatres, and cinemas
  • strip clubs
  • horse racing tracks, car racing tracks, and other similar venues
  • places where commercial film and television production takes place

In addition, certain business can “opt-in” to require proof of vaccination under the rules for areas at Step 3 in order to operate at a greater capacity. Businesses that “opt-in” are not required to limit the number of members of the public to the number that can maintain a physical distance of at least two meters. However, they must continue to follow any capacity limits set out in the regulation for their specific setting (with the exception of real estate agencies, for all “opt-in” settings the requirement is to not exceed 50% capacity for members of the public who are permitted to be in the indoor areas of an establishment at any one time). This applies to:

  • real estate agencies, in respect of open houses
  • personal care services
  • indoor recreational amenities
  • outdoor recreational amenities, in respect of indoor clubhouses
  • photography studios and services, in respect of indoor areas
  • museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens, and similar attractions, in respect of indoor areas
  • amusement parks, in respect of indoor areas
  • fairs, rural exhibitions, festivals, and similar events, in respect of indoor areas
  • businesses that provide tour and guide services, including guided hunting trips, tastings and tours for wineries, breweries and distilleries, fishing charters, trail riding tours, walking tours, and bicycle tours, in respect of indoor areas
  • businesses that provide boat tours
  • marinas, boating clubs, and other organizations that maintain docking facilities for members or patrons, in respect of indoor areas

Thank you for your ongoing support in preventing and controlling the spread of COVID-19 infection within our community. For information about local vaccination opportunities, visit www.phsd.ca/health-topics-programs/vaccines-immunizations/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine/upcoming-vaccination-clinics-for-specific-priority-groups/