Resources

Ontario Government COVID-19 Public Health Measures Announcement – January 20th, 2022

Premier Doug Ford announced the steps to cautiously and gradually release public health measures. Click here for more information on the Government of Ontario’s website.

Effective Monday, January 31st, 2022 at 12:01 AM, Ontario will begin the process of gradually easing restrictions, while maintaining protective measures, including but not limited to:

• Increasing social gathering limits to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
• Increasing or maintaining capacity limits at 50 per cent in indoor public settings, including but not limited to:
• Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments without dance facilities;
• Cinemas;
• Meeting and event spaces;
• Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos and similar attractions; and
• Allowing spectator areas of facilities such as sporting events, concert venues and theatres to operate at 50 per cent seated capacity or 500 people, whichever is less.

Enhanced proof of vaccination, and other requirements would continue to apply in existing settings.

February 21, 2022

Effective February 21, 2022, Ontario will lift public health measures, including:

• Increasing social gathering limits to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.
• Removing capacity limits in indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is required, including but not limited to restaurants, cinemas, as well as other settings that choose to opt-in to proof of vaccination requirements.
• Permitting spectator capacity at concert venues, and theatres at 50 percent capacity.
• Limiting capacity in most remaining indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is not required to the number of people that can maintain two metres of physical distance.
• Increasing indoor capacity limits to 25 per cent in the remaining higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, including nightclubs, wedding receptions in meeting or event spaces where there is dancing.

Enhanced proof of vaccination, and other requirements would continue to apply in existing settings.

March 14, 2022

Effective March 14, 2022, Ontario will take additional steps to ease public health measures, including:

• Lifting capacity limits in all indoor public settings. Proof of vaccination will be maintained in existing settings in addition to other regular measures.
• Increase social gathering limits to 50 people indoors with no limits for outdoor gatherings.

Step Two of Roadmap to Reopen (Province of Ontario)

Ontario’s Premier, Doug Ford, announced that effective Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 at 12:01 AM, the province of Ontario will return to a modified version of Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen until at least January 26th, 2022.

Click here for more information on the Government of Ontario’s website.

Gathering Sizes:

Indoor: Reduced social gathering limit to five people indoors

Outdoor: Reduced social gathering limit to ten people outdoors

Organized public events: Limiting capacity at organized public events to five people indoors

Business/Organizations: Requiring businesses to ensure employees work remotely unless the nature of their work requires them to be on-site. 

Indoor meeting/event spaces: Closing indoor meeting and event spaces with limited exceptions but permitting outdoor spaces to remain open with restrictions.

Attractions & Heritage Institutions: Closing museums, galleries, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions, amusement parks and waterparks, tour and guide services and fairs, rural exhibitions, and festivals. Outdoor establishments permitted to open with restrictions and with spectator occupancy, where applicable, limited to 50 per cent capacity.
Venues, Cinemas, and Theatre: Closing indoor concert venues, theatres, cinemas, rehearsals and recorded performances permitted with restrictions.

Performing Arts Return Information Session (City of Mississauga)

The City of Mississauga Culture Division presented a comprehensive Performing Arts Return Information Session on July 20th, 2021. During the information session, the City shared well-informed surveys on audience mindset and the Government of Canada’s expectations for live performance protocols and provided links to essential online tools and guidance to help accomplish them. Please see below for a summary of the City’s presentation and the links to live return resources.

Highlights from the Performing Arts Return Information Session

It was underlined that live show and event producers must also produce a plan for how they will reduce the likelihood of transmission of COVID-19.

In the beginning, Tanya Smithers, of the City’s Celebration Square team, suggests producers organize their COVID-19 prevention plan by using the Province’s template COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan – Province of Ontario here, for detailing your steps to reduce the likelihood of transmitting COVID-19. That includes the event details, capacity, and your plan to educate event workers and volunteers on safety practices. This also includes answering how you will screen and handle potential exposure, note how you’ll ensure the plan is working, and attend to any new risks your procedures might cause.

Entrances and exit plans are a must, as are the ways in which shared facilities will be managed and kept safe.

Managing the COVID prevention plan is clearly and added job for producers of live events for any location and for City properties, the COVID-19 plan needs to be submitted along with the overall event plan, 6 weeks before the event. Or sooner. To contact the City regarding spaces and related questions, call 905 615 4100.

Two good news notes; the plexiglass shields required for performances last year – are not required now, and the City announced plans to hold another information session – on the insurance ramifications of the COVID-19 prevention challenge.

Resources provided by Culture Division

Nik Nanos (Nanos Research) – Arts Response Tracking Study

• Nik Nanos (Nanos Research) – Arts Response Tracking Study – July 2021 – Full Report

Janet Sellery (Event Safety Alliance Canada) – Live Performance Health and Safety During COVID-19

• Live Performance Health and Safety During COVID-19
  • Resources shared by Janet Sellery related to proof of vaccination and test results. Please note: resources are not approved or endorsed by the City of Mississauga
    • Mandatory vaccinations, rapid testing, screening, record retention and the law – Presentation Slides and Webinar (May 27, 2021, Gowlings WLG Law Firm)
    • COVID-19 vaccinations, the workplace and the law (June 15, 2021, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services)
  • Janet Sellery has also provided a PDF here that contains additional resources for the Performing Arts sector. Please note: resources are not approved or endorsed by the City of Mississauga
• Tanya Smither (City of Mississauga) – 2021 Outdoor Events Planning Guide
  •  2021 Outdoor Events Planning Guide – City of Mississauga

Additional resources discussed during the session

• Step 3 Regulation – Province of Ontario
• COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan – Province of Ontario
• COVID-19 Worker and Employee screening – Province of Ontario
• Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 or on their website here
• For questions on City-issued bingo licenses: charity.gaming@mississauga.ca

COVID-19 Step Three Review 

Doug Ford announced that Ontario will be moving into Step 3 of the Roadmap to Reopen on Friday, July 16 at 12:01 a.m.

Click here for more information on the Government of Ontario’s website.

Step 3 of Roadmap to Reopen – Important highlights relating to our community: 

Face coverings in indoor public settings and physical distancing requirements remain in place throughout Step Three.

Gathering Sizes

​​Outdoor:

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

Indoor:

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

Indoor meeting/event spaces:

• Permitted with physical distancing and other restrictions and capacity limited to 50 percent capacity or 1,000 people, (whichever is less)

Attractions & Heritage Institutions 

• Museums, galleries, historic sites, aquariums, zoos, landmarks, botanical gardens, science centres, casinos/bingo halls, amusement parks, fairs and rural exhibitions, festivals, with capacity limited to 50 percent indoors and 75 percent outdoors

Venues, Cinemas, and Theatres:

• Concert venues, cinemas, and theatres permitted to operate with capacity limits
• Drive-in and drive-through events permitted
• Indoor food or drink establishments where dance facilities are provided, up to 25 percent capacity or up to a maximum limit of 250 people (whichever is less)

Mississauga Culture

Click here for a Culture Programs & Services Status Update. 

As the City moves into Step Three of the province’s Roadmap to Reopening on July 16, the following adjustments will be in effect for City programs and services within Culture.

Programs and Services available in-person with limited capacities and health safety measures in place:

• Tours are now open for “The Lengths We Go: Reflections on Hair“ exhibition at Bradley Museum. By appointment only.
• Visitors can continue to use the fountain at Mississauga Celebration Square, as well as enjoy food trucks and a variety of other offerings all summer long.
• Summer Creative Camps continue to operate. To see what camps are being offered visit mississauga.ca/camps.
• SaugaBusks is accepting applications for those interested in participating in the busking program; the program will remain open until October 31.

Indoor and outdoor rentals are available for booking with capacity restrictions and health safety measures in place:

• Livings Arts Centre
• Mississauga Celebration Square (small events in amphitheatre only)
• Museums of Mississauga: Bradley and Benares
• Paramount Fine Foods Centre
• Small Arms Inspection Building

Ontario Small Business Relief Grant

The government is announcing an Ontario COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant for small businesses that are subject to closure under the modified Step Two of Roadmap to Reopen. Click here to learn more.

February 1, 2022 – Please note that applications are not currently not open but will be opening in the coming weeks.

Eligible small businesses include:

• performing arts and cinemas
• museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions
• performing arts venues and cinemas, museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions
• meeting or event spaces

Government of Canada

The Government of Canada has released an Economic Response Plan in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. We recommend following their website for up-to-date accurate information that may be helpful to you during this time. Click here for more information.

Highlight:

• Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CRB)
  • Update Nov 5, 2020: The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) has finished. If you continue to need income support, find out here if you are eligible for Employment Insurance or other Recovery benefits.

Ontario Travel 

Destination Ontario – Ontario Live Initiative

• Destination Ontario has launched Ontario Live, A virtual marketplace that brings Ontario together to help support local artists, operators, attractions and businesses throughout the province. Learn more and register here.

City of Mississauga

The City of Mississauga has released a website dedicated to the latest COVID-19 resources for businesses, including entrepreneurs. It will be updated regularly with new information. Click here for the website.

Digital Mainstreet ShopHERE – Helping artists get online for free

• City of Mississauga has joined the Digital Mainstreet powered by Google Canada and Shopify to help independent businesses and artists build and online store for FREE! Click here for more information and to apply.

Mississauga Made – an online network of Mississauga based businesses

• The City of Mississauga has launched Mississauga Made, an online initiative inspired to support and promote local businesses across the City, including artists. Learn more here and register here.

Mayor Crombie’s recent Arts and Culture Town Hall for the Cultural Sector provided a document with a full list of information, resources and support for the culture sector. Click here to view the document

CBC Arts

CBC Arts has created a continuously updated list of resources to help Canadian artists and freelancers find help during the COVID-19 shutdown. Click here to check it out. 

PAONE

Professional Arts Organizations Network for Education (PAONE) has created a list of resources from other organizations into a collaborative platform. Click here to check it out. 

Quickbooks

Quickbooks has a great resource page that answers how to prove income when you are self-employed in Canada. Check it out here.

Music Canada & Abacus Data

The pandemic has had a profound impact on Canada’s musicians. Music Canada has released new data conducted by Abacus Data on the impacts of COVID-19 on Canadian musicians. Read the whole report here. 

Click here to see MAC’s own Calls to Artists.

Click here to see Calls to Artists and Opportunities within the Mississauga community on Martys Hub.

Subscribe to MACtivities, MAC’s weekly newsletter, to get the first look at upcoming artist calls!

Ontario Creates

• Ontario Creates – Ontario Music Investment Fund
  • Ontario Creates has launched the Ontario Music Investment Fund to provide targeted economic development investment to the province’s vibrant and diverse music industry

UNISON Benevolent Fund

• UNISON COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund
  • Unison provides free counselling and emergency financial relief for the Canadian music community.
  • Unison has launched a $500,000 fund to support musicians, entertainment professionals, venue owners and other members of the Canadian music community who are unable to work because of COVID-19