A stay-at-home order will come into effect in Ontario on Thursday January 14th at 12:01 a.m.
That means all residents must stay home unless going to the grocery store or pharmacy, for a medical appointment, for essential work, or for exercise.
Premier Doug Ford issued the order this afternoon saying he did not make the decision lightly.
The new measures also include restricting the hours of operation for non-essential retail stores such as hardware stores to between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Ford says enforcement will part of the order, and tickets will be issued to people not following the rules.
He also announced an inspection blitz at big box stores to ensure they are following the guidelines issued by public health.
Outdoor gatherings are now limited to 5 people.
Ford says schools are still slated to reopen to students Jan. 25th in non-hot spot areas, however he cautioned that may change.
For schools in Toronto, Peel, Windsor-Essex, York and Hamilton, online learning will continue until February 10th.
Non-essential construction is further restricted, including below-grade construction, exempting survey.
For more information on the stay-at-home order click here.