What's open and closed during Ontario's lockdown is important information to note as we head into the period of province-wide closures aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19.

Starting Dec. 26, the entire province will enter a mandatory shutdown. This means shopping at non-essential retail stores, working out at the gym and getting a haircut are all out until at least Jan. 9 for northern Ontario and Jan. 23 for the southern parts of the province.

Here's what's open and closed in Ontario during the shutdown.

Open

Food and restaurants

• Supermarkets, grocery and convenience stores for in-store shopping
• Bulk food stores like Bulk Barn
• Outdoor food markets like Market 707 and World Food Market
• Food courts in shopping malls remain open for takeout
• Restaurants, bars, bakeries and cafes for takeout and delivery only

Shopping and retail

• Retailers selling groceries like Dollarama, Walmart and Costco
• Pharmacies and safety supply stores like Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall
• Beer and wine and liquor stores like the LCBO and The Beer Store
• Eyewear stores with opticians on site
• Car dealerships remain open for in-person shopping by appointment only and other safety restrictions apply
• Shopping malls, cannabis stores and local retailers are closed for in-person shopping but remain open for curbside pickup or delivery
• Banks remain open
• Hardware stores like Canadian Tire, Home Depot and Home Hardware are closed for in-store shopping, open for curbside pickup or delivery only
• Pet food stores are also closed for in-store shopping but open for curbside pickup
• Outdoor markets and holiday markets are permitted if they primarily sell food

Events, attractions, museums and amusement parks

• The Distillery District is open with a mandatory mask policy in place
• Stackt is offering curbside pickup from over 20 local vendors as well as takeout and delivery from their food vendors
• Crokicurl is available for outdoor play for groups up to eight
• Outdoor attractions such as ice rinks, horse riding facilities, dogsledding, skating trails can remain open if physical distancing is possible

Hotels and motels

• Hotels are open but communal facilities such as pools, fitness centres, meeting rooms and other recreational facilities are closed
• Short-term rentals can be booked for people in need of housing but not for recreational purposes unless they were booked before the shutdown measures

Schools, community centres and childcare

• Public elementary and secondary schools are to do remote learning from Jan. 4 to 8. Northern regions can start in-person learning Jan. 11. Elementary schools can reopen for in-person in other regions Jan. 11, but secondary schools must continue remote learning until Jan. 25
• Childcare can remain open
• Post-secondary institutions can remain open with remote learning
• Community centres and multi-purpose facilities are open for limited activities, including childcare, After-school Recreation Care (ARC) programs, food bank services and public access to washrooms

Libraries

• Libraries may open for contactless curbside delivery and pickup, and they can open for services such as childcare and mental health and addiction support meetings with capacity limits for physical distancing

Parks

• Parks and playgrounds remain open
• Compliance will continue to be required with the physical distancing bylaw which applies to parks and squares
• Outdoor facilities such as skate parks, frisbee golf, ice rinks, tobogganing hills, snowmobile, cross country, dogsledding, ice-skating and snow-shoe trails will remain open

Animal services

• Veterinary services and other businesses that provide for the health and welfare of animals, including farms, boarding kennels, stables, animal shelters and research facilities remain open
• Businesses that provide services for the training and provision of service animals remain open
• Businesses that provide pet services, including pet grooming services, pet sitting services, pet walking services and pet training services were originally thought to be open but are closed under the new shutdown restrictions

Other services and industries

• Massage therapists and acupuncturists are allowed to operate
• Domestic, outdoor and cleaning and maintenance services are still permitted
• Real estate agencies are permitted to operate and conduct property showings by appointment only
• Film and television production, including all supporting activities such as hair, makeup and wardrobe, are permitted to operate with personal protective equipment

Closed

Restaurants and bars

• Indoor and patio dining will not be permitted during lockdown

Gyms, YMCAs and community centres

• All indoor recreation facilities including arenas, gyms, walking tracks, indoor sport courts, pools and arenas are closed

Hair salons, spas and personal care services

• Hair salons, barber shops, spas, tanning salons, tattoo studios, diet centres and beauty salons are all closed
• Personal training is also not permitted at this time

Attractions, museums and amusement parks

• All museums and tourist attractions are now closed such as The ROM, CN Tower, AGO, Science Centre, Ripley's Aquarium and Canada's Wonderland
• High Park Zoo, Riverdale Farm and the Toronto Zoo are closed to visitors
• Ski hills are closed
• Indoor movie theatres remain closed
• Drive-in and drive-through events are not allowed
• Performing arts facilities are all closed to spectators
• Casinos and bingo halls are closed
• Strip clubs are closed

Other services and facilities

• Meeting spaces are closed with limited exceptions for day camps for children, recreational and skill building programs, alcohol or substance abuse counselling, court services, government services and mental health support services
• Photography and studio services