Memo from the Bishop’s Office re: Capacity Limitations for Church Services

Memo from the Bishop’s Office

This morning’s Globe and Mail article “Omicron rules crimp Christmas church-service plans” on page A9 contains the following inaccurate sentence: “In Ontario, churches are similarly limited to 25 people or fewer for in-person services if they include the unvaccinated.”

That statement is untrue. Neither the Province of Ontario nor the City of Toronto has changed its capacity limitations for places of worship. We continue to abide by the existing regulations that permit the number of worshippers that can maintain a 2-metre distance between households. We support those parishes who have voluntarily reduced their capacity even further to spread people out around their spaces.

We know that our parishes have made some difficult decisions this week about how to proceed with their Christmas services. We commend all of you for your prayerful and careful choices. All of your plans may proceed as already determined.

The Bishop’s Office