Yesterday, it was announced that on Friday, July 16, the province will move into Step 3 of Ontario’s Roadmap to Reopening. Waterloo Region is slated to move to Step 2 on Monday, July 12 – however, it is expected to join the rest of the province in Step 3 on July 16.

Step 3 Highlights for Creative Spaces
Face coverings in indoor public settings and physical distancing requirements remain in place throughout Step 3.

Outdoor 
Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 100 people with limited exceptions are permitted.

Indoor
Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people are permitted.

Museums, Galleries and Historic Sites
Museums, galleries, historic sites, aquariums, zoos, landmarks, botanical gardens, science centres, casinos/bingo halls, amusement parks, fairs and rural exhibitions, festivals, can operate with capacity limited to not exceed 50 per cent capacity indoors and 75 per cent capacity outdoors.

Concert Venues, Cinemas and Theatres
Concert venues, cinemas, and theatres permitted to operate at:

• Up to 50 per cent capacity indoors or a maximum limit of 1,000 people for seated events (whichever is less).
• Up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors or a maximum limit of 5,000 people for unseated events (whichever is less); and up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors or a maximum of 15,000 people for events with fixed seating (whichever is less).

Photography Studios and Services
Photography studios and services can operate indoors and outdoors with restrictions.

Meeting Spaces
Indoor meeting and event spaces permitted to operate with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect and capacity limited to not exceed 50 per cent capacity or 1,000 people, (whichever is less).

Construction
All construction is open.

What happens next?
For Ontario to have most restrictions of Step 3 lifted, the province must:

• Remain in Step 3 for at least 21 days
• 80% of Ontarians over the age of 12 must have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 75% have received a second.
• All public health units must have 70% of their eligible population fully vaccinated.
• Other key public health and health care indicators must remain stable.

At this point, Step 3 precautions would be lifted, and small safety measures would remain in place, such as passive screening and a safety plan for businesses.

Read the Press Release HERE.
Read the full Guidelines for Step 3 HERE.

Creative Spaces and Step 2 of Ontario’s Roadmap to Reopening

Creative Spaces and Step 2 of Ontario’s Roadmap to Reopening 

At midnight on June 30, 2021, the province will move into Step 2 of Ontario’s Roadmap to Reopening. This is hopeful news as arts organizations can look forward to increased audience size for outdoor offerings and a gradual reopening of indoor arts spaces. While most of the province moves ahead to Step 2, Waterloo Region and Porcupine Health Unit will remain in Step 1.

The earliest Ontario can move to Step 3 would be on July 20, twenty-one days following Step 2. Organizations can start planning for this next phase of reopening by reviewing the Reopening Ontario webpage.

Step 2 Highlights for Creative Spaces

Outdoor 

• Maximum 25 people for outdoor gatherings
• Outdoor events at 25% capacity
• Outdoor cinemas, performing arts, live music events and attractions at 25% capacity

Indoor

• Maximum 5 people for indoor gatherings
• Space Rentals: Indoor meeting and event spaces closed, with exceptions for certain purposes, including viewings for a potential booking of a future event.

Commercial Film and TV Production

• Open with no audience, and other restrictions

Performing Arts 

• Indoor closed, permitted only for the purpose of rehearsing or performing a recorded or broadcasted event – spectators not permitted
• Outdoor open, including live music, with spectator capacity at 25% and other restrictions

Cinemas

• Indoor closed
• Outdoor open with spectator capacity at 25% and other restrictions

Museums and attractions

• Outdoor waterparks open with 25% capacity and other restrictions
• Outdoor amusement parks open with 25% capacity and other restrictions, including on rides

Photography studios and services

• Outdoor and limited indoor open with restrictions

Drive-in and drive through events

• Open with restrictions

Construction

• All construction open

Read the full Provincial Order for Step 2 Regulations for more details.

ArtsBuild Ontario supports #SupportVisualArtsON and #FairnessForTheArtsON. We continue to advocate for a more equitable recovery pathway for Ontario’s extraordinary arts sector. We call for regulatory fairness for the live performing arts, galleries and museums whose future planning has been impacted by Step 2 in this roadmap. Learn more here.

Over the past year, Diana Moser has been serving as ArtsBuild Ontario’s (ABO) Interim Executive Director. During her time with ABO, Diana fully embraced this challenge of leading an organization through the uncertainties of COVID-19 and its impact on the arts and culture sector. Regardless of ups and downs, ABO continued to support creative spaces throughout the pandemic with projects such as the Indigenous Creative Spaces Project, LEARN IT | BUILD IT | MANAGE IT, and the Mapping Northern Creative Spaces Project as well as our core programs such as the Mentoring Network and Asset Planner for the Arts.

In addition, ABO continues its partnership with the City of Kitchener and the Accelerator Centre in operating 44 Gaukel Creative Workspace in Downtown Kitchener. The building has remained open to tenants throughout the pandemic.

Aside from maintaining projects and programs, Ms. Moser brought ABO into the third cohort of Pluralism and Organizational Change, facilitated Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO).  

Diana had the right skillset at the right time – managing unforeseen and unpredictable change. It was a pleasure working with her as she rose to the challenges the year presented. We were so lucky to have her and know that she will be a major asset to the organization that is lucky enough to hire her. Good luck, Diana!  –Kristian Clarke, President, ArtsBuild Ontario 

 Ms. Moser approached this year with a high level of organization and innovation. Wherever her next adventure takes her, any team will greatly benefit from her novel ideas and kind, thoughtful approach to leadership.

 ABO welcomes back our Executive Director, Alex Glass, after 14 months of maternity leave.