Per the Ontario government's new Bill 195, enacting the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020, which will come into force on July 24, 2020, the the declared state of emergency in Ontario ends.
However, this new legislation:
continues emergency orders in effect under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (the "EMCPA") for an initial 30 days;
allows the Lieutenant Governor in Council (or a Minister to whom the power is delegated) to further extend these orders for up to 30 days at a time, as required;
allows the Lieutenant Governor in Council to amend certain emergency orders continued under the EMCPA if the amendment relates to:
labour redeployment or workplace and management rules;
closure of places and spaces or regulation of how businesses and establishments can be open to provide goods or services in a safe manner;
compliance with public health advice; or
rules related to gatherings and organized public events;
does not allow new emergency orders to be created;
allows emergency orders to be rescinded when it is safe to do so; and
limits the ability to extend and amend orders to one year, unless extended by the legislature.
