Ontario to extend emergency orders under Reopening Ontario Act

Ontario has extended the government's power keep all emergency orders in place under the Reopening Ontario Act until March 2022.

The emergency orders, which were set to expire on Dec. 1, will be extended after a motion by Solicitor General Sylvia Jones was passed at Queen's Park on Tuesday.

The motion gives the Doug Ford government the power to extend emergency orders until March 28. Each order under the ROA must be extended by cabinet in 30-day increments.

A spokesperson for Jones told CTV News Toronto the extension of emergency powers aligns with the government's plan to lift all remaining COVID-19 restrictions by March.

Without extending the ROA, all public health measures currently in place would have expired on Dec. 1.