Today, the Government of Ontario declared a state of emergency and will be enacting a Stay-at-Home order for all Ontario regions.
The Stay-at-Home order will take effect as of Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 12:01 am and will be in effect for at least four weeks. For more information on the new measures, please click here.
What does this mean for real estate?
Real estate businesses remain one of the businesses that are not required to be closed.
This means that real estate transactions can continue, provided that all public health measures and safety guidelines are followed. There are no specific requirements for the real estate industry, except that open houses are prohibited. The masking, physical distancing, maximum occupancy, cleaning, safety plan and other requirements of any business that remains operational must also be carried out.
It is not business as usual and I urge Ontario REALTORS® to use digital tools to the greatest extent possible to conduct virtual open houses, showings and execute real estate transactions.
Some important information to keep in mind during this Stay-at-Home order:
- Open houses remain prohibited across the province.
- While there is a Stay-at-Home order in place, there is no prohibition on intra-provincial travel and no restrictions on real estate registrants trading in markets around the Province, provided you have reasonably determined that this is required as a result of the nature of the work to be carried out there.
- In-person showings are permitted, provided health and safety protocols are followed. For safe in-person showings protocol, please visit OREA’s Guidance for Safe In-Person Showings.
- Short-term rentals (for example, cottages, cabins) are only to be provided to individuals who are in need of housing.
- The Province has put a moratorium on residential evictions for the next 28 days.
Vaccinations are a priority for the Province. OREA staff have met with vaccination officials and will be communicating with Members soon about what they can expect when it comes to the Province’s vaccination plan rollout.
As REALTORS®, let’s continue to do our part. Please make sure to follow all public health guidelines and stay safe as we work to curb the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.
Thank you,
David Oikle, President
OREA