Both Ontario and Quebec have identified a list of essential services to remain open in their respective provinces, and for those businesses to put into place any and all measures to safeguard the well-being of their employees.
Construction appeared on both lists, but varied in definition and scope.
For Ontario, the list of Essential Workplaces relative to construction follows. (Go to the Ontario website to see a complete listing of other sectors deemed essential.)
- Supply chains
1. Businesses that supply other essential businesses or essential services with the support, supplies, systems or services, including processing, packaging, distribution, delivery and maintenance necessary to operate - Institutional, Residential, Commercial and Industrial Maintenance
13. Businesses that provide support and maintenance services, including urgent repair, to maintain the safety, security, sanitation and essential operation of institutional, commercial industrial and residential properties and buildings, including, property management services, plumbers, electricians, custodial/janitorial workers, cleaning services, , security services, fire safety and sprinkler systems, building systems maintenance and repair technicians and engineers, mechanics, (e.g. HVAC, escalator and elevator technicians), and other service providers who provide similar services - Construction
26. Construction projects and services associated with the healthcare sector, including new facilities, expansions, renovations and conversion of spaces that could be repurposed for health care space
27. Construction projects and services required to ensure safe and reliable operations of critical provincial infrastructure, including transit, transportation, energy and justice sectors beyond the day-to-day maintenance
28. Construction work and services, including demolition services, in the industrial, commercial, institutional and residential sectors
29. Construction work and services that supports health and safety environmental rehabilitation projects - Resources
35. Businesses that ensure global continuity of supply of mining materials and products (e.g. metals such as copper, nickel and gold) and that support supply chains in Northern Ontario, including:
a. Mining operations, production and processing
b. Mineral exploration and development
c. Mining Supply and Services that support supply chains in the mining industry including maintenance of operations, health and safety
36. Businesses that provide chemicals and gases to support the natural resource sector analytical labs and drinking water and wastewater sectors and other essential businesses
37. Businesses that ensure global continuity of supply of forestry products (e.g. lumber, pulp, paper, wood fuel, etc.)
38. Businesses that ensure global continuity of supply of aggregates to support critical infrastructure repairs and emergency response requirements (e.g. sandbags, armor stone barriers, etc.)
39. Businesses that ensure global continuity of supply of petroleum and petroleum by-products
The Québec government has ordered the closing until April 13, 2020 of all non-essential stores and services including construction except the following:
- Maintenance and operation of strategic infrastructure, including:
- the production, procurement, transmission and distribution of energy (electricity, fossil energies)
- the maintenance in good operating condition of essential public infrastructure such as bridges, municipal buildings, and so on
- construction, maintenance and the maintenance of essential activities related to public and private infrastructure that may pose a threat to public health and safety (private dams, the management of hazardous and radioactive materials, on so on)
- health services and supply chain, for example, a water treatment plant
- computer resources (security, maintenance, urgent needs related to the situation)
- data centres
- Construction sector:
- construction firms for emergency dispatching or security purposes
- electricians, plumbers and other trades for emergency services
- rental equipment
- Building maintenance services:
- building-maintenance firms (elevators, ventilation, alarms, and so on)
Source: CIPH
