What to expect when visiting Niagara Falls during COVID

As Ontario heads into winter and the holiday season, ensuring everyone’s safety means that gatherings and businesses across the province will look different.

Attractions, tours, restaurants, shopping, parks, and other businesses are adapting to allow everyone to enjoy their time while still complying with the new health and safety measures.

As of Monday, November 16, 2020, at 12:01 am, Niagara Falls entered the orange zone of Ontario’s new colour-coded system from the previous designation as a stage 3 zone.

Previously, stage 3 allowed for nearly all businesses to reopen with some limitations on gathering sizes. Most of these types of businesses remain open with additional restrictions. Find additional, specific details about the orange here 

Keep reading to find out more information about what to expect when visiting Niagara Falls.

Note that other cities in Ontario may be in different zones at different times due to the variation in how the virus is affecting the regions. Visit ontario.ca for an updated status of all regions.

What to expect when visiting Niagara Falls

Businesses in Niagara and across Canada are taking safety precautions recommended by the government of Canada such as sanitizing high-touch surfaces, physical distancing, using physical barriers, and reducing amounts of people indoors.

Masks

Niagara region recently passed a mandatory face mask bylaw requiring that face masks and coverings be worn in all public indoor spaces such as shopping malls, indoor dining, public transit, etc. This bylaw comes into effect on July 31.

What’s open and what to expect

Attractions, Sightseeing, and Tours

Niagara Falls Attractions and sightseeing activities are implementing physical distancing and sanitization procedures. Popular attractions such as the Journey Behind the Falls, Skylon Tower and Skywheel are open with additional safety measures.

The popular Hornblower Boat Cruise is currently closed for the winter season (which happens annually and is unrelated to current COVID-19 restrictions)

What to expect with Tripshepherd

All group tours are now private - no one else will be on your tour booking except the guide. Guests will be required to wear masks - masks will be provided or you may choose to bring your own. Vehicles will be disinfected and cleaned between tour groups.

We ensure that any tour you book includes open attractions and experiences - you’ll be notified if any closed attraction is replaced. We may update our guidelines and policies based on new information from public health agencies, local governments and partners.

Accommodations

Hotels are limiting the number of guests in their building amenities, disinfecting and sanitizing rooms, as well as disinfecting high-touch surfaces.

Restaurants

Restaurants in Niagara Falls and Ontario are open for indoor and patio dining, though with the cold weather most restaurants have closed their patios for the season.

In addition to the restrictions set by the province, Niagara region has implemented an additional set of protocols that applies to the indoor dining. When dining indoors in Niagara Falls, patrons can expect the following protocols in place:

• Name and contact information will be taken for the purpose of contact tracing
• Patrons must attest that they are not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19
• Patrons may not share a table with those who live outside their household (with some exceptions made for those who live alone, are dining with someone who is essential to their mental or physical health and partners who are living in separate homes)
• Tables must be spaced at least two metres apart or separated by plexiglass
• No more than four (4) patrons may be seated at a table at one time
• Hand sanitiser must be made available for every table Check out our recommendations for the best open dine-in restaurants in Niagara Falls.

Shopping

Learn more about how Niagara Falls shopping centres, Canada One and Outlet Collection at Niagara mall in Niagara-on-the-Lake, are implementing safety measures. As of November 27, 2020 masks have been made mandatory in outdoor common areas at the Outlet Collection at Niagara mall.

Parks

Parks, public areas, and trails are open and facilities are being regulated by reducing limiting amounts of people indoors. Learn more: niagaraparks.com

Who can visit Niagara Falls?

Provincial travellers

Ontario does not currently have provincial travel restrictions, meaning Niagara Falls is open for travellers in Canada.

Other provinces have different travel restrictions and requirements. To learn about where you can travel within Canada, visit the province's official website or check out this resource at time-to-travel.ca.

Canada/US border and International Travellers

Currently, Canadian borders are closed to all non-essential international travellers, including the USA. Exceptions are being made for the immediate family of Canadian citizens and permanent residents with a 14-day mandatory self-isolation period.

The reopening of the Canada-US border is evaluated monthly - as of November 20th, 2020 the border closure was extended to at least December 21st. On December 2nd, Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau commented that the border closure would continue into 2021.

“Until the virus is significantly more under control everywhere around the world, we’re not going to be releasing the restrictions at the border,” Trudeau stated in comments to the CBC. 

For updated information, visit canada.ca

How you can help keep our community safe

Safety is a shared responsibility. It’s important to practice physical distance, cover your mouth/nose when sneezing and coughing, wear a mask when possible and necessary, wash your hands, as well as stay home if you’re feeling unwell.