Canada is slowly reopening, and we want to share some important links with you. These contain information on the best practices and protocols to maintain the safety and well-being as you reopen and welcome customers. Here is what you need to know:

• Premiere Doug Ford announced that as of May 19th, retail shops can open as long as they follow the proper guidelines. In a CBC article, Ford was quoted as saying, “Businesses should open only if they’re ready,” and that now is not the time to start letting guards down.
• Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, Prabmeet Sarkaria, has said that all small business owners should learn the new health and safety guidelines to protect employees and clients.
• The Retail Council of Canada has listed some guidelines on their website here. They Include:
  • What kind of enterences need to allow stores to open
  • The number of customers per square foot allowed in stores at one time
  • Delivery options
  • Fitting room guidelines
• CTV News has also released a list of recommendations as offering prepay and contactless payment methods and cleaning commonly touched surfaces such as shopping carts or shelving. These come from the industry-specific guidelines found on Ontario’s website.
• The Government says that if you’re unsure whether your business falls into the “retail” category, you should refer to the North American Industry Classification System. This excludes services like nail salons and barbar shops that do occupy retail spaces.

The Ontario Government says they will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that infection rates don’t increase.

At the moment, there are no mentions of when wholesale businesses are allowed to open. HOJ is currently only offering shipping and delivery on certain days. If you would like further updates, please contact us at 1-800-668-4422 or info@houseofjewellery.com.