Ontario will go into a four-week, province wide shutdown on Saturday as the government pulls its “emergency brake” in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 variants. In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, Ontario is moving back to a province-wide shutdown as of April 3, 2021, at 12:01 a.m.
Please see link below for Ontario Regulation 82/20. The list of businesses permitted to open is in the Shutdown Zone section of the regulation. As you will see concert venues, theatres and cinemas are not allowed to open.
As a result, TAPA members will be unable to engage in any form of artistic practice including rehearsals, content capture or live broadcast.
We recognize this is hugely frustrating news. Despite all of our efforts at TAPA including the Lights-On Reopening Guide, SWITCH HEALTH and TIAO (part of the TAPA TOOL KIT below) we have no influence to create province-wide protocol at this time. The Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries for the province of Ontario continues to be in conversation with TAPA.
The TAPA Board of Directors held an emergency board meeting this afternoon and are sorry to share this unfortunate news. We are asking all TAPA members to be compliant with the regulations. Please know that we are continuing our advocacy work for regulatory fairness with the film and television sector.
Jacoba Knaapen
Executive Director, TAPA
TAPA COVID-19 Resource Toolkit
TAPA has continued its advocacy work during the pandemic to combat the uncertainty and challenges that Toronto theatre, dance, and opera organizations have been facing.
The COVID-19 Resource Toolkit includes the programs and partnerships TAPA has worked on to serve Toronto theatre, dance, and opera organizations during the pandemic. The Toolkit also includes ongoing advocacy communications between TAPA and bodies of government. The toolkit will be updated and shared with the TAPA membership on an ongoing basis.