To assist Downtown businesses in their reopening planning, the DWBIA has gathered provincial and sector guidelines to help ensure a safe environment for employees and customers. We’ll continue to update this page as new information is made available.
To help you ease into reopening and ensure compliance with the rules and regulations pertaining to the REOPENING OF ONTARIO ACT (ROA), the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development have put together for the ease of the businesses, the general compliance rules and specific rules to the various industries including restaurants, personal services, malls, and retail.
Reopen & Reconnect KitsTo help you ease into reopening, we’ve put together FREE packages containing resource materials and safety supplies. If you would like to receive a package, please fill out the form below to place your order. Packages will be issues beginning June 1, 2020.
To help you ease into reopening, we’ve also uploaded digital version of our decals that can be downloaded and printed.
Today we launched Roadmap to Recovery, which takes a comprehensive look at the challenges facing our economy and identifies 51 specific recommendations governments should adopt to overcome the challenges identified. Canada was prepared to do whatever it took to ensure we made it through this pandemic, and we need to apply the same mindset to repairing our economy. Toolkit available here!
COVID-19 has drastically disrupted activities of daily living for the public, workplaces, and businesses. As the province allows more businesses and workplaces to reopen, it is critical for employers to take the necessary precautions to maintain a safe environment to protect the health and safety of their employees, customers, and the general public
A Framework for Reopening our Province lays out the government’s approach to the next chapter in the ongoing fight to defeat COVID‑19. It outlines the principles the government will use to reopening businesses, services and public spaces in gradual stages. It also explains the criteria Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health will use to help advise the government on when it is safe to begin loosening public health restrictions. And it highlights the government’s commitment to continue providing guidance and advice as workplaces prepare to reopen, including businesses deemed essential that voluntarily chose to temporarily shut down.
Insight on Tour Windsor Essex Pelee Island reopening plan for 2020.
Creative use of public space has become integral for providing Downtown businesses an opportunity to expand their offering.
• The role of public space
• Economic value
• Urban isolation
• Placemaking
• Tools to liberate your space
• Examples around the world
Restaurants Canada COVID-19 Reopening Best PracticesBest practices outlined by Restaurants Canada to support restaurants during the initial phase of reopening.
• General best practices for customer areas
• General best practices for staff areas
• Full-service dining best practices
• Self-serve best practices
• Quick-service best practices
• Cleaning and sanitation
• Health and personal hygiene – customers
• Health and personal hygiene – staff
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Best practices outlined by Restaurants Canada to support restaurants during the initial phase of reopening.
• Food safety
• Cleaning and sanitation
• Health and personal hygiene
• Physical distancing
• Financial planning
• Training
• Tools and signage
Pandemic Relaunch ToolkitResources for restaurants + Bars
The following toolkit is designed to help our clients and industry contacts understand, plan, and mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The toolkit contains clear and concise resources for managing captial, planning for relaunch, and also provides recommendations on adjusting operations and increasing guest engagement in the wake of the crisis. Looking forward, we highlight new ideas of how the restaurant industry can react to the changes in how people eat and drink, brought about by COVID-19.
As retailers and landlords prepare to re-engage the customer, communicating safety, building confidence, and
enticing the consumer are paramount steps. Retailers will need to control every aspect of the store environment and
plan, in detail, the consumer experience and journey in the store. Brands and landlords will need to evaluate air quality,
health and safety standards, touchless technology, and new inventory and logistics models. These new strategies will
vary by location, generation, and over time as the environment changes.
Global best practices for a diverse range of retail formats with the fundamental aim of ensuring a safe environment for employees and customers.
• Customer Health and Safety playbook
• Employee Well-Being playbook
• Retail Operations playbook
• Merchandising & Marketing playbook
Brick & Mortar GuidebookThe Back to Brick & Mortar guide was created by &Access as a trusted
resource for business owners preparing to reopen their storefronts.
With only limited protocols currently in place to maintain safe retail
and restaurant environments, we drafted this guidebook in preparation
for the reopening of the U.S. economy, understanding that COVID-19
will continue to impact retail for many months to come.
BOMA Pathway Back to Work – Commercial Real Estate and Re-Entry GuideBOMA Canada recommended pathways for the safe return of tenants, building personnel, visitors, vendors, contractors and others to commercial real estate.
• Building operations – elevators, escalators, lobby control, washroom, food courts
• Vendor supplies – cleaning plans, disposal of PPE, hand sanitization station, HVAC, ventilation, filters, etc.
• Tenant and building communications – signage
• Human resources
pening GuideA Practical Guide for Reopening and Creating Guest Confidence & Comfort by the Ontario Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Association.
ORHMA DineSafe Reopening ChecklistA complete checklist of reopening protocols from the Ontario Restaurant, Hotel, and Motel Association.
ORHMA DineSafe Takeout and Delivery GuideAs an addition to the DineSafe guide and website initiative, ORHMA has gathered resources for establishments currently operating with take-out & delivery services. By following these recommendations, we can design safe and welcome spaces that inspire public trust, so our industry as a whole can not only survive but thrive.