What are the coronavirus rules in my province? A quick guide to what’s allowed and open, or closed and banned

What rules are the same everywhere?

WHAT’S OPEN AND CLOSED

• Food is available: Grocery stores across Canada are open, and major chains like Loblaws and Metro have dedicated hours for seniors. Restaurants can still offer takeout or delivery, but dine-in service is closed. Pet-food stores and suppliers of feed for livestock are also protected.
• Utilities are running: Every province has deemed electrical, water, garbage-collection and telecom services to be essential. Check with your municipal government or utility company to see if they offer waivers or flexibility on fees for those services.
• Banks are open: Financial institutions are protected, but local branches may be operating under different hours.
• Schools are closed: Every province or territory has closed its K-12 school systems, with varying estimates of when they might reopen this year, if at all.
• Work-from-home is okay, and encouraged: Most provinces have made lists of “essential” businesses that can have physical offices open (more on that below), but any business whose employees can work from home is allowed to keep running.

PHYSICAL DISTANCING

• Stay at home: All the country’s top public health officials have urged Canadians to avoid going out unless absolutely necessary for grocery runs, exercise or medical emergencies.
• Stay apart: When you do go outside, stay at a distance of two metres (about the length of a hockey stick) from other people.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

• Flights are restricted: Only Canadian citizens, permanent residents and some exempted groups of foreign nationals, like agricultural workers and international students, are allowed into the country right now. That’s only if they don’t have COVID-19 symptoms like dry coughing, fever and difficulty breathing: Airlines have to refuse passage to anyone showing those symptoms. To make screening easier, the federal government restricted international flights to four main airports in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.
• The border is restricted: Non-essential travellers, like tourists, are barred from crossing the Canada-U.S. border, but supply chains between the two countries are still open for things like food, fuel and medicine.
• Self-isolation is mandatory: All Canadians coming home from abroad are required to go home immediately and stay there for 14 days. They should get groceries and supplies delivered rather than going to the store. Under federal law, authorities can charge up to six-figure fines or put people in jail for refusing to do this.

DOMESTIC TRAVEL

• Planes and trains: If you’re travelling between cities by air or rail, make sure you’re feeling okay first. Airlines and railways are screening travellers for COVID-19 symptoms, refusing passage to those who have them.
• Intercity buses: Buses aren’t covered by the same Transport Canada rules as airlines and railways, but many companies have reduced or cancelled service. Check the local health authorities at your point of origin and destination to see how the rules differ; some places may require 14-day self-isolation for new arrivals (more on that below).

Rules by province and territory

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

• Public gatherings: Restricted to 10 or fewer people.
• Interprovincial travel: New arrivals in the province have to self-isolate for 14 days.
• Local travel: St. John’s public transit is running on reduced service, and buses are allowed only nine passengers at a time.
• COVID-19 testing: Use the province’s self-assessment tool, available online. Testing is not required for new arrivals to the province. If you have symptoms, don’t go to your family doctor or a hospital ER unless it’s a medical emergency.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? Hospitals and pharmacies are deemed essential. Private clinics of dentists, audiologists, chiropractors, and massage therapists are closed.
• What businesses are ‘essential’? Food services, hardware stores, gas stations and “repair services” like plumbers and electricians are on the list of essential services. Recreational public spaces like theatres and bingo halls are not.
• Liquor and cannabis: NLC liquor stores are closed, but an order-and-pickup service is available instead. Cannabis and vape stores are ordered closed but can sell products online.
• Tenants and landlords: The government has prohibited evictions of tenants who are unable to pay rent because the pandemic has hurt their income.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

• Public gatherings: Attending any public gathering is discouraged.
• Interprovincial travel: Anyone who’s entered PEI on or after March 21, even domestically, has to self-isolate for 14 days. Travel on the Confederation Bridge is restricted to essential workers, like health-care professionals or truck drivers, or people who have to leave for medical reasons.
• Local travel: T3 Transit is asking passengers to use its services only for work travel, medical appointments and shopping for essentials.
• COVID-19 testing: Use the province’s self-assessment tool, available online. Testing clinics are by appointment only.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? Hospitals and pharmacies are deemed essential. Dentists, optometrists, and other regulated health professionals can offer urgent care only.
• What businesses are ‘essential’? Food services, hardware stores, gas stations, and utilities can still operate.
• Liquor and cannabis: All PEI liquor and cannabis stores closed on March 19, but some liquor stores later reopened on reduced hours.
• Tenants and landlords: The PEI government is offering a rental assistance benefit to households and businesses.

NOVA SCOTIA

• Public gatherings: Restricted to five or fewer people.
• Interprovincial travel: New arrivals in the province have to self-isolate for 14 days.
• Local travel: Halifax Transit is on reduced hours and ferries are restricting the number of passengers.
• COVID-19 testing: Use the province’s self-assessment tool, available online. Visits to assessment centres are by referral from 811 only.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? Nova Scotia has not issued a full list of essential services, but as in other provinces that do have such lists, hospitals and pharmacies remain open.
• Liquor and cannabis: NSLC stores, which are both liquor and cannabis retailers, are open on reduced hours, including dedicated periods for seniors.
• Tenants and landlords: Nova Scotia put a three-month moratorium on evicting people whose incomes have been affected by COVID-19.

NEW BRUNSWICK

• Public gatherings: Restricted to 10 or fewer people.
• Interprovincial travel: New Brunswick introduced limits on non-essential travel to match those in neighbouring Nova Scotia.
• Local travel: Fredericton Transit has ceased collecting fares, but it and Codiac Transpo in the Moncton area have warned against non-essential travel on their routes.
• COVID-19 testing: Use the province’s self-assessment tool, available online.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? Hospitals and pharmacies are open. Many health services, such as chiropractors, dentists, and optometrists, are prohibited from seeing patients in person unless absolutely necessary.
• What businesses are ‘essential’? New Brunswick has not issued a full list of essential businesses allowed to operate.
• Liquor and cannabis: ANBL liquor stores are open, but there’s a health checklist for visitors and cash transactions are not allowed. Cannabis NB stores are also operational.
• Tenants and landlords: Landlords’ right to evict is suspended temporarily.

QUEBEC

• Public gatherings: Indoor and outdoor gatherings of two or more are prohibited.
• Interprovincial travel: The Sûreté du Québec has set up roadblocks on bridges between Ottawa and Gatineau and along the frontier with Northern Ontario, but are only stopping people heading into Quebec and only turning them away if their visit is for recreational purposes.
• Local travel: Montreal public transit is up and running with enhanced cleaning and physical-distancing measures in place, but people with possible COVID-19 symptoms are warned not to ride.
• COVID-19 testing: Quebec’s toll-free assessment number is 1-877-644-4545. A nurse will ask about your situation and advise on the next steps. Avoid ERs unless you have difficulty breathing while at rest or lying down.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? Hospitals, pharmacies, and the provincial blood and organ-transplant agencies are on the essential-services list, as are dentists and optometrists for emergency services.
• What businesses are ‘essential’? Quebec’s list of permitted businesses is one of the strictest in Canada so far. Grocery and hardware stores are on it, but construction is limited to emergency services or dispatching. To give retail employees a break, most stores will close on Sundays in April, except for pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, and takeout restaurants.
• Liquor and cannabis: The SAQ and provincial cannabis stores are open, except on Sundays.
• Tenants and landlords: Quebec has landlord-tenant hearings on hold during the emergency, effectively blocking evictions.

ONTARIO

• Public gatherings: Limited to five people or fewer.
• Interprovincial travel: Domestic entrants to Ontario do not have to self-isolate.
• Local travel: GO Transit trains and buses are running on reduced service, as are Via Rail routes between Toronto and Ottawa. Public transit is free in Ottawa, but on Toronto Transit Commission vehicles, Presto card users are still encouraged to tap on.
• COVID-19 testing: Use the province’s self-assessment tool, available online. Tests are limited to high-risk cases.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? Hospitals and pharmacies are open. Dentists and optometrists can offer emergency care.
• What businesses are ‘essential’? Ontario’s essential-businesses list is one of Canada’s broadest, allowing residential and commercial construction and real-estate agents, as well as the usual essentials like grocery and hardware stores.
• Liquor and cannabis: LCBO outlets are open on reduced hours. The Ontario Cannabis Store is still operating.
• Tenants and landlords: Enforcement of eviction orders is suspended and Tribunals Ontario will not issue new orders until further notice.

MANITOBA

• Public gatherings: Restricted to 10 people or fewer.
• Interprovincial travel: The province recommends anyone entering domestically should self-isolate for 14 days.
• Local travel: Winnipeg Transit buses are still running under enhanced physical-distancing measures. People with COVID-19 symptoms are urged not to travel.
• COVID-19 testing: Use the province’s self-assessment tool, available online and a list of where the testing centres are. Walk-ins are not allowed.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? Manitoba’s list broadly allows most kinds of medical care, but medical associations for dentists and other specialties are urging clinics to cancel non-essential appointments.
• What businesses are ‘essential’? In addition to grocery and hardware stores, Manitoba’s list is the only one to include “travel consulting services."
• Liquor and cannabis: All businesses with retail liquor or cannabis licences can stay open.
• Tenants and landlords: Eviction hearings and rent increases are on hold.

SASKATCHEWAN

• Public gatherings: Restricted to 10 people or fewer.
• Interprovincial travel: Self-monitoring for symptoms is recommended for those who’ve travelled to Saskatchewan from elsewhere in Canada, but self-isolation is not required.
• Local travel: Regina and Saskatoon’s transit agencies are running under enhanced safety protocols, and neither require fares.
• COVID-19 testing: Here is the province’s self-assessment tool. To get tested, you need a referral from 811 or your family doctor or nurse practitioner.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? Hospitals and pharmacies are open. Dentists, optometrists, and physiotherapists are limited to emergency services.
• What businesses are ‘essential’? Most of the province’s natural resources and construction sectors are included on the essential list.
• Liquor and cannabis: Outlets are open.
• Tenants and landlords: Eviction hearings are suspended, as is enforcement of existing “non-urgent” orders.

ALBERTA

• Public gatherings: Restricted to 15 people or fewer.
• Interprovincial travel: Domestic entrants to Alberta aren’t required to self-isolate.
• Local travel: The Red Arrow bus between Calgary and Edmonton is cancelled, but local public transit continues. In Edmonton, fares have been waived.
• COVID-19 testing: Here is the province’s self-assessment tool for the public, and their separate one for health-care workers. Tests are generally restricted to high-priority cases.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? Hospitals and pharmacies are open. Dentists and optometrists can offer emergency services only.
• What businesses are ‘essential’? Most of Alberta’s oil-and-gas sector is protected, as is residential and commercial construction. The full essential-services list is available online.
• Liquor and cannabis: Outlets are open.
• Tenants and landlords: Eviction enforcement is suspended, and landlords are urged to work out arrangements for tenants if they cannot pay due to coronavirus-related losses of income.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

• Public gatherings: Limited to 50 people or fewer.
• Interprovincial travel: Domestic travellers don’t have to self-isolate.
• Local travel: TransLink has suspended fares but reduced services on buses, SkyTrains and SeaBus routes.
• COVID-19 testing: Use the province’s self-assessment tool, available online. Testing is not recommended for returning travellers and patients with mild symptoms.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? The essential-services list covers most types of medical care, but dentists’ offices are being urged by their professional associations to cancel non-essential treatment.
• What businesses are ‘essential’? Like the other western provinces, B.C. has broadly exempted construction work and natural-resources sectors. It’s also the only province whose list includes parks and public washrooms, citing their importance to homeless people.
• Liquor and cannabis: Outlets are open.
• Tenants and landlords: In addition to suspending current and future evictions for four months, B.C. froze rents and offered a $500-a-month supplement to eligible landlords.

NUNAVUT

• Public gatherings: All indoor and outdoor gatherings, of any size, are cancelled.
• Interterritorial travel: Entry into Nunavut is restricted to residents and critical workers. They must prove residency, fill out a travel request form and self-isolate for 14 days before they fly.
• COVID-19 testing: If you have COVID-19 symptoms, call 1-888-975-8601 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. or contact your local health centre.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? Daily medical care is still available for urgent cases, but is being triaged daily for non-urgent cases. Call ahead before going to health facilities. Doctors are still making community visits.
• What businesses are ‘essential’? The territory’s public health order only exempts things like grocery stores, pharmacies, post offices and fuel, and motor vehicle service stations.
• Liquor and cannabis: Outlets are open.

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

• Public gatherings: All indoor and outdoor gatherings, of any size, are cancelled.
• Interterritorial travel: Travel through all points of entry into the territory, both air and road, is prohibited except for essential workers. Anyone entering has to self-isolate in either Yellowknife, Inuvik, Hay River or Fort Smith, and cannot self-isolate in a small community.
• COVID-19 testing: Use the province’s self-assessment tool, available online. If health officials recommend you be tested, be aware that the swabs they collect have to be sent to an Edmonton lab, and results may take up to a week.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? Health-care providers and pharmacies are still operating.
• What businesses are ‘essential’? Employees who aren’t in self-isolation can continue to work as long as they practice two-metre physical distancing, but the territory’s public health authority recommends that at-risk businesses like theatres, buffet-style restaurants, gyms, and barbershops be closed.
• Liquor and cannabis: Stores are open.

YUKON

• Public gatherings: Limited to 10 people or fewer.
• Interterritorial travel: Anyone entering Yukon must self-isolate for 14 days, and highway links in and out of the territory are closed except to essential workers and supply lines.
• COVID-19 testing: Use the province’s self-assessment tool, available online. Tests are generally reserved for recent travellers, symptomatic patients or people who’ve been in contact with symptomatic patients.
• What medical services are ‘essential’? Pharmacies are open. Hospitals are restricted to priority care and have cancelled routine or non-essential services like bloodwork and X-rays. Dentists can offer emergency care only.
• What businesses are ‘essential’? Mining and other natural-resources work camps can operate but under strict guidelines about physical distancing and safety.
• Liquor and cannabis: Outlets are open.