Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQs

With the support of Council, senior City staff, our Emergency Control Group, and senior staff at Joseph Brant Hospital, this declaration helps send a message to our community about the serious nature of the pandemic and enables the the city to focus on the delivery of essentials services. It aligns with the Province of Ontario's emergency declaration and many other communities across the country.

For all COVID-19 related health information, please visit www.halton.ca/coronavirus.

We need to listen to the recommendations of Public Health to practice physical distancing and self-isolate when directed – to protect ourselves, the ones most vulnerable, our first responders and healthcare workers. We must all do our part to control the spread of COVID-19.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has a comprehensive online resource about physical distancing to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Learn more...

For the latest actions taken by the City of Burlington please visit and subscribe to our News and Notices.

Residents can also stay informed at burlington.ca/coronavirus and the city's social media channels: @cityburlington on Twitter and facebook.com/cityburlington.

COVID-19 is having a direct impact on the City's finances. In addition to significant revenue losses, the City has to incur additional expenses to close facilities, increase cleaning and modify service delivery. 

While some of these impacts are temporary in nature, a portion are likely to impact the City's financial position over a longer period of time as we transition to a new normal state of operations. 

While there still remains much uncertainty as to what this new normal state of operations may look like, the City sought opportunities to mitigate these financial challenges and reduce any overall property tax impact as part of the approved 2021 budget.

In July 2020, the federal government announced the Safe Restart Funding Agreement, providing financial support to provinces. Burlington received $6 million. Learn more.

In December 2020, Burlington was notified that it is one of 48 (out of 444 municipalities) to receive additional phase 2 funding from the Safe Restart Funding Agreement. This includes $5.4 million of  additional 2020 operating funding, plus $1.9 million to help with 2021 COVID-related operating pressures. This funding is in addition to $2.2 million in transit-related money provided to help with local transit pressures, which was also secured through the City’s phase 2 application through the Safe Restart program. 

For residents looking to receive or offer support, please visit the city's COVID-19 Community Resources web page.

This page has information about a variety of community resources available to support those impacted by COVID-19. 

• Sports
• Recreational fitness activities
• Meetings
• Events

No. Only individuals entering indoor facilities used for the following purposes (unless otherwise exempt):

• Sports
• Recreational fitness activities
• Meetings
• Events

will be required to be fully vaccinated (as defined in the provincial guidance) and provide proof of vaccination, along with identification.

City-operated services and facilities not impacted by the provincial regulations include:

• City Hall at 426 Brant St.
• outdoor sports fields
• diamonds, parks and playgrounds
• Burlington Transit
• Halton Court Services.

The guidance provided from the Province says, an individual is considered fully vaccinated if they have received:

• The full series of a COVID-19 vaccine authorized by Health Canada, or any combination of such vaccines, or
• One or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized by Health Canada, followed by one dose of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine authorized by Health Canada, or
• Three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized by Health Canada; and

The City of Burlington will continue to follow the Provincial mandate and require proof of vaccination in City facilities for all who are eligible for the vaccine.

To make the process of proving and verifying vaccination status easier, more secure and convenient for individuals, the government has rolled out enhanced vaccine certificates with scannable QR codes. Instructions are available at ontario.ca/get-proof

Individuals can save the electronic version of their vaccine certificate with a QR code to their phone or print a paper copy. Both paper and digital versions of the enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code will be accepted. 

The enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code is not setup for medical exemptions yet, so these individuals will still need to produce a doctor’s note.

The current vaccine receipt without a QR code remains valid and will continue to be accepted.

Customers will need to continue to show a piece of identification with their name and date of birth, along with a completed screening prior to entering the facility.

Each person who enters an indoor facility for sports, recreational fitness activities, meetings or events must show proof of vaccination and identification at the time of entry (unless otherwise exempt), which will be visually verified by staff.

When arriving at a facility, signage will indicate the main entrance. Vaccine verification is required when entering a facility as well as a COVID-19 screening.

Please watch this video to see what to expect when you arrive at a City facility.

Under the provincial regulations, providing proof of vaccination against COVID-19 at a recreation facility does not apply to:

• Workers, contractors, repair workers, delivery workers, volunteers, inspectors or others who are entering the business or organization for work purposes and not as patrons. This includes sport coaches and officials.

• Children under 12 years of age
• Participants of organized sports under 18 years of age (e.g. sport leagues and sport programs)
• Individuals with a medical exemption and supporting documentation from a physician/nurse
• Individuals using the washroom or passing through an indoor space to access outdoor space
• Retail or admission transactions
• Individuals accessing social services (i.e. health services, vaccine clinic, meal/food access).

Participants are not required to show identification if:

• Accessing a program intended for children under 12 years of age.
• Accessing an organized sport program for youth under 18 years of age.

Participants under 18 years of age accessing a non-organized sport program are required to show proof of vaccination and identification in accordance with the Ministry of Health. Any parents/guardians or siblings who are spectators to their activity are required to show proof of vaccination and identification. For more information, see the provincial guidance.

The under 18 year-old Organized Sport exemption includes:

• Sport organization rentals
• School athletic programs 
• Registered programs listed in “Sports” discipline
  
• Swimming lessons including Bronze levels.

The Organized Sport exemption does not include:

• National Lifeguard/First Aid certification
• Open Gym/Swim
• General Interest (music, arts) programs
• Fitness programs.

Yes.  Parents and/or guardians may enter a facility for a maximum of 15 minutes to drop off and pick-up a participant for a program, without showing proof of vaccination.

Volunteers, e.g. coaches, officials, are not required to show proof of vaccination when they are volunteering. If the purpose of your visit to a facility is to be a spectator, then the proof of vaccination requirement applies.

Currently, Burlington Public Libraries do not require proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the library according to the Provincial guidelines. Visit the library's COVID-19 information page: https://www.bpl.on.ca/serviceupdates

Yes. Individuals who anticipate the proof of vaccination requirement will impact their ability to participate in City-run activities they have registered for, can contact Customer Service at liveandplay@burlington.ca or 905-335-7738 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and weekends 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) to withdraw for a credit or refund.

No member of the public will be permitted to enter the indoor facility without proof of vaccination or exemption.

The City of Burlington has a Zero Tolerance policy. Anyone engaging in verbal assaults, threats or aggression, vandalism, or incitement of violence will be ejected from the property with a mandatory suspension from all municipal facilities. We ask that everyone attending a City recreation facility contributes to a positive and supportive environment for children, their families, and community sport.

The vaccine certificate program is an Ontario Government policy. Municipalities, and certain businesses and organizations must implement the program. As a provincial policy, it is best to address your concerns to the Ontario Government through your local Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) representative. For Burlington, the MPPs are Jane McKenna, MPP, Burlington and Effie Triantafilopoulos, MPP, Oakville North-Burlington.

Yes, wearing a mask is mandatory when using any Burlington Transit services or facilities.

To help with the safety of customers and staff, non-medical masks or face coverings are mandatory. You must wear a mask:

• At bus stops,
• in terminals and
• while on Burlington Transit buses and vehicles.

Only these customers are exempt from wearing a mask:

• People with a disability or medical conditions that prevent them from wearing a mask
• Children under the age of five
• A child over five whose parents have given a 'best effort' to put on a mask.

Mandatory masks and face coverings while riding transit help limit the spread of COVID-19.

Burlington Transit drivers are helping to educate our riders about the Mask Bylaw. They are not enforcing the bylaw.

All buses have signs posted with information about the mandatory mask bylaw as well. Thank you to our riders who are wearing masks to help protect drivers, fellow riders and themselves.

Half of Burlington Transit drivers are behind a partition, which protects them from exposure to passengers. The partition also protects passengers from the driver.

On buses with no partition, drivers are required to wear a mask.

The Mask By-law No. 06-2021 includes exemptions for those who cannot wear a mask or face covering for medical reasons, children under the age of two, and other reasonable accommodations.

The Mask By-law No. 06-2021 also permits the temporary removal of a mask or face covering when receiving services, having a meal, or engaging in athletic or fitness activity. The bylaw will not apply to child care facilities and schools, and areas that are not enclosed (i.e. restaurant patios with proper physical distancing measures in place).

No one is required to provide any proof that they meet one of the exemptions.

Guide to Support Local Businesses

Business Economic Development, in partnership with the City of Burlington, has also created a guide to support businesses in ensuring they are in compliance with the bylaw. For more information visit http://bedc.ca/mask-bylaw/

Businesses are required under the bylaw to have a mask policy and to comply with the bylaw subject to exemptions. Some businesses may choose to implement any mandates they deem essential to the safe and effective management of their businesses, such as a “no shoes, no shirt, no service” dress code policy or asking spa patrons to shower before entering a pool.

The hope is that business owners will find ways to be flexible for those that have valid exceptions and accommodate them when possible. Many businesses also have options to order products online or by telephone for delivery or curbside pickup.

Be kind to the person; don’t assume anything. Individuals may be prevented from being able to wear a mask or face covering, by for example, an existing medical condition.

To report an incident of noncompliance, contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 Hotline: 905-825-4722.

Please see the staff member or security guard at the entrance and they will assist you.

The City’s Bylaw Enforcement Officers are assisting the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) to enforce the Province’s physical distancing orders and health and safety restrictions by responding to complaints, educating residents and working with HRPS where police intervention may be warranted. In addition, the City’s Bylaw Enforcement Officers will enforce the physical distancing restrictions established by the City under the Burlington COVID-19 Physical Distancing Bylaw. 

To report an incident of non-compliance with provincial emergency orders, please contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 Hotline: 905-825-4722. Your report will be evaluated and placed in queue for follow up.

The police work in partnership with City of Burlington Bylaw officers to triage all reported incidents and prioritize the order of response based on risk to the community and the availability of officers (police and/or bylaw) at that time. Please keep in mind that other COVID-related items that require diligent involvement and prioritization include doing at-home quarantine checks, business compliance inspections, and other incidents that impact public safety.

Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) continue to work with our Municipal Bylaw partners and Public Health officials to respond to complaints and support proactive efforts to raise awareness Their focus remain on education and using enforcement only as a last resort.

HRPS officers will not be conducting random stops of vehicles or individuals and urges residents to take personal responsibility to follow all restrictions to limit the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.

The Province has issued a number of orders under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act which are in effect throughout the province to address the COVID-19 emergency.

For information about the most recent health and safety restrictions, visit ontario.ca

Based on guidance from Provincial regulations and Halton Region Public Health, the City of Burlington does not currently have plans to prohibit individuals living in other cities from visiting Beachway Park.

After more than a year of living with COVID-19 restrictions, the current stay-at-home order in Ontario is challenging for everyone. While it’s difficult, it’s important to remember that Beachway Park is a regional park, and many residents from across Halton enjoy this destination.

We ask that you cooperate with others using the space and follow all COVID-19 health precautions and posted signage. If the park is busy, please try another outdoor recreational location in the city or come back at a different time. Please be kind to one another, remain vigilant and stay safe.

The City has established the Burlington COVID-19 Physical Distancing Bylaw, which prohibits people from maintaining less than a 2 metre distance from one another while on any public property (other than people they live with).

The City may add further prohibitions as additional information is received and the need for additional regulation is identified.

On March 21, 2020 the City declared an emergency under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.  The Bylaw was passed by the City in accordance with the powers granted to municipalities under the Municipal Act, 2001 to protect, among other things, the health and safety of the public.

The Burlington COVID-19 Physical Distancing Bylaw is designed and intended to support and reinforce the Province’s physical distancing orders and regulation.

While voluntary compliance to the guidelines laid out by the provincial government is preferred, Halton Region Police Service has been provided authority under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to issue fines to individuals and businesses that choose to defy the Act.

The bylaw does not impact the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as it does not prevent two people from meeting; it requires people to maintain a 2-metre distance while on public property.

Charges may be laid for violations of the Province’s emergency orders in two ways. Police and municipal law enforcement officers may issue tickets; fines are to be determined. Alternatively, officers may instead lay a charge by way of a summons in which case the fine and penalties are potentially more severe, ranging from up to $100,000 for individuals, $500,000 for directors or officers of a corporation and up to $10,000,000 for a corporation that is found violating orders issued by the Province under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.  In addition, offenders may be subject to up to one-year imprisonment.

With respect to the Burlington COVID-19 Physical Distancing Bylaw, the City’s Bylaw Enforcement team may issue tickets which will carry a set fine or may lay charges by way of a court summons, which carry fines that will be set by a Justice of the Peace ranging from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $100,000.  In cases where a person is charged with violating more than one of the physical distancing requirements in the Bylaw a minimum of $500 may be applied for each offence with maximum fines that may exceed $100,000.  

In addition, charges may be laid under both the provincial orders and the City’s Bylaw at the same time.

Yes, businesses and business owners can be charged for violating COVID-19 emergency orders issued by the Province and the City. For example, businesses violating the Provincial Orders requiring closure of non-essential businesses or prohibiting price gouging on essential goods may be charged and subject to fines of up to $10,000,000, and officers and directors of these businesses may be liable for fines of up to $500,000 personally. 

Residents who wish to report a potential violation of the Provincial Orders or the City’s COVID-19 Physical Distancing By-law should call the Halton Regional Police Service.

For the duration of the pandemic, if a member of the public wishes to report an incident of non-compliance with the emergency orders, they may contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 Hotline: 905-825-4722.

Residents can call the COVID-19 Hotline to report:

• non-essential businesses remaining open
• events and gatherings not adhering to the limits for social gatherings
• establishments remaining open that are prohibited from being in operation under the EMCPA
• individuals using locked or fenced-in sports field areas

A call taker will collect relevant information from the complainant, and when appropriate, a bylaw enforcement officer or police officer will be dispatched to follow up.

In addition, with respect to complaints regarding unconscionable pricing or price gouging, residents may also contact the Consumer Protection Ontario Call Centre at 1-800-889-9768 (which operates between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.), or file complaints online at: www.ontario.ca/page/consumer-protection-ontario.

For a list of what is open and closed, visit burlington.ca/coronavirus. 

An essential service is defined in Federal terms as any service, facility or activity of the Government of Canada that is or will be necessary for the safety or security of the public or a segment of the public.

Examples of government services or activities that may be considered essential include but are not limited to: border safety/security, correctional services, food inspection activities, accident safety investigations, income and social security, marine safety, national security, law enforcement, and search and rescue.

The Province of Ontario also has a list of essential workplaces - read the list here. A toll-free line is available at 1-888-444-3659 to provide support to Ontario businesses who have questions about the province’s emergency order to close at-risk workplaces following recommendations by Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.

At the City of Burlington, essential services are those that need to be delivered under one of the following categories:

• Are required to meet certain legislative requirements;
• Support employee and public health, safety and security;
• Enable critical community services and supports, including COVID-19 mitigation and recovery;
• Support services necessary to keep essential services operating;
• Protect and operate vital infrastructure; and
• Fulfill contractual, legal and financial obligations.

Under the current Stay-at-Home order (April 17, 2021), landscaping services, including maintenance and construction, continue to be permitted in Ontario.

Landscaping Services - e.g. turf management, landscape lighting, landscape irrigation, grounds management, landscape construction, interior plantscaping, and landscape design.

Snow clearing is also listed as a permitted service.

To increase security for those businesses throughout our Region, the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) is offering the following suggestions for properties that are temporarily closed:

• Remove valuables from storefront displays
• Keep the interior, front, and rear entrances well lit
• Keep some lighting on inside for surveillance opportunities
• Remove valuables such as cash from the till and leave open. Place the cash tray in plain view
• Ensure the contact is up to date on any alarm monitoring system
• Clearly post signage on the door/window to indicate:
  • Premise is monitored by alarm company;
  • That no money is kept on premises; and
  • Contact information for the police and business owner in the event a member of the public observes damage to property or suspicious activity
• Consider installing a surveillance camera system that can be monitored online
• Consider installing laminate on windows and glass doors to increase glass integrity from blunt force
• Ensure all doors are properly secured

The HRPS will also be conducting targeted and proactive patrols of businesses that have closed to ensure they are secure.

The HRPS would also like to urge managers of construction sites that may be closing to take measures to ensure the security of their sites and tools. Tools on vacant construction sites are a popular target for thieves and should be removed when possible.

View what's open for public use...

The Service Burlington counter at City Hall, at 426 Brant St., is open to the public to offer in-person payments for:

• Parking permits and tickets
• Property taxes
• Freedom of Information requests
• Garbage tags
• Dog licenses
• Property information requests
• Recreation services

The counter is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Commissioning and marriage licensing services are also available by appointment.

Please visit burlington.ca/marriage, burlington.ca/commissioning, or call 905-335-7777 to book your appointment. Residents can also visit burlington.ca/onlineservices to access a variety of City services online. Service Burlington is available to answer questions by phone at 905-335-7777 and email at city@burlington.ca.

For a list of recreation programs and drop-in programs visit burlington.ca/recreation.

If you have any questions and require any assistance, please contact us at liveandplay@burlington.ca or 905-335-7738.

If you are in a program not run by the City, please contact the organization directly.