As a leader in the tourism and hospitality community, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island recognizes our role and responsibility in ensuring the health and safety of our partners as well as visitors to Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island. At this time, we are following recommendations from our municipal, provincial and federal governments to implement safety precautions and reviewing how we proceed. We are working proactively to support our region during this time, and will continue to share information as it is received from our partners.
COVID-19 Health and Safety Updates & VISITOR INFORMATION
The Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island Offices are currently closed to the public. You can find information on the region by searching out website, or by calling 519-255-6530 during regular business hours M-F 8:30am through 4:30pm. You can also contact info@tourismwindsoressex.com for any inquiries or use out ChatBot (on the right hand side of the screen) for more information.
- The Ontario Tourism Information Centre is currently closed
- The Caesars Windsor kiosk is currently closed
- The Amherstburg Cabin is closed for the season
PROVINCIAL FRAMEWORK TO REOPENING
As of 12am on Tuesday February 16th the Windsor Essex Region is in the ‘Red – Control’ level of the province’s framework to reopening, which impacts service levels at many businesses in the region. To learn more click here.
Please click the below for additional details on how this State of Emergency impacts businesses.
- Events and social gatherings are not permitted and are limited to:
- 5 indoors
- 25 outdoors
- Face coverings required indoors at all work and public spaces
- Physical distancing must be maintained
Restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments
- Indoor service to a maximum of 10 people
- Take out & delivery permitted, including alcohol
- Outdoor dining permitted
- Patrons must be seated 2m from any other table
- Contact information required for all patrons
- Establishments must be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m
- Dancing, singing and live performances not permitted
Sports and recreational fitness facilities
- Maintain 2m physical distancing at all times
- Maintain 3m physical distance while using weights, exercise equipment and fitness classes
- Maximum capacity of
- 10 people indoors
- 25 people outdoors
Meeting and event spaces
- Capacity for venues
- 10 people indoors
- 25 people outdoors
- Must follow all restaurant dining protocols
Retail
- Capacity for supermarkets or other primary source businesses is 75%
- Capacity for all other retail locations is 50%
- Capacity limits must be posted at entrance
- Stores must have passive screenings of patrons upon entry
- Fitting rooms must be limited to non-adjacent stalls
- Line-ups into retail spaces should be space 2m apart
Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments
- Limited to a capacity of
- 10 people indoors
- 25 people outdoors
- Table gaming prohibited
ALL OTHER ATTRACTIONS
- Closed
Please plan ahead and contact any businesses or attractions prior to visiting for updated services and hours.
Steps To Prevent Illness
Our local health authority, The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is recommending that in order to prevent the spread of Coronavirus individuals should:
- wash hands frequently and avoid facial contact;
- avoid contact with sick individuals;
- stay home from work when ill;
- ensure to properly clean high-touch surfaces, especially in your public spaces like washrooms, restaurants, elevators and work spaces;
- where possible, consider making alcohol-based hand sanitizer available for your guests and employees.
As the situation continues to evolve quickly, we encourage you to reference the Windsor Essex County Health Unit website for the latest regional updates.
Businesses are also required to provide alcohol based hand rub at entrance and exit points. For full details on the rules please click here.
SAFE TRAVELS
The World Travel & Tourism Council has created ‘Safe Travels’ – a certification program that will allow travelers to recognize governments and companies around the world which have adopted health and hygiene global standardized protocols – so consumers can experience ‘Safe Travels’.
Eligible businesses can display the badge to showcase their status – and Tourism Windsor Essex is proud to announce that we were the first Destination Marketing Organization in Ontario to receive the certification.
Part of our protocols include providing the public & private sectors with the insights & toolkits for interaction & implementation to ensure that people are and feel safe. It is paramount to have common rules. Ultimately, we envision a future of travel which is safe, secure, seamless and provides an authentic and meaningful experience to the traveler across the journey; one which supports the livelihoods of millions and contributes to sustainable economic growth. For more details on the program click here.
Interested business adhering to the policies locally can apply for the certification for free.
A Hidden Gem Bed and Breakfast
Ambassador Golf Club
Banded Goose Brewing Co.
Beach House Grill
Best Western Leamington Hotel & Conference Centre
Blimey’s British Store & Gift Shop
Bradt’s Butcher Block
Butcher of Kingsville
Caesars Windsor
Colchester Ridge Estate Winery
Comfort Inn South Windsor
Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards
Cured Craft Brewing Co.
Devonshire Mall
Distinctive Inns of Kingsville
Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Windsor
Freddy’s Restaurant & Lounge
Holiday Inn & Suites Ambassador Bridge – Windsor
JACKS Gastropub
Lee & Maria’s Market
Macro Foods Inc.
Mastronardi Estates Winery
Mettawas Station Mediterranean Restaurant
Muscedere Vineyards Estates Winery
North 42 Degrees Estate Winery
Oxley Estate Winery
Paglione Estate Winery
Pelee Island Winery
Quality Inn & Suites Windsor
Quality Inn Leamington
Soffi Studio
Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery
The Lumberjack Restaurant
The Vines Restaurant
The Walnut Grove Bed and Breakfast
The Wandering Dog Inn on Pelee Island
Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island
TownePlace Suites by Marriott Windsor
Ure’s Country Kitchen/ Mini Golf
Vivace Estate Winery
Walkerville Brewery
WindsorEats
REGIONAL REOPENING
Click “What’s Open” for a list of major attractions & Windsor & Essex County that have opened their doors to visitors. In addition, click on the icon below to find out more details on some of our major attractions and their reopening details.
- Devonshire Mall is open for curbside pick up only, or for essential service locations. Click here for more details. Current mall hours are:
- Monday to Friday 10am – 7pm
- Saturday 10am – 6pm
- Sunday 11am to 5pm
- Tecumseh Mall is open for curbside pick up only, or for essential service locations. Click here for more details. Current mall hours are:
- Monday to Friday 11am to 7pm
- Saturday 11am to 6pm
- Sunday 12pm to 5pm
- Windsor Crossing Premium Outlets is open for curbside pickup only. Click here for more details. Current mall hours are:
- Monday to Friday 11am to 7pm
- Saturday 10am to 6pm
- Sunday 12pm to 5pm
- Caesars Windsor is closed to the public. Please click here for more details.
- VIA Rail is operating at reduced capacity. Click here for details.
- Windsor International Airport is operating at a reduced capacity, with Air Canada offering two flights daily from Windsor to Toronto. Porter Airlines is currently temporarily closed. Please contact the airport or airlines directly for additional questions.
- Owen Sound Transportation operating ferry service to Pelee Island has closed for the season. Learn more: ontarioferries.com and 511on.ca.
- Adventure Bay Family Water Park is temporarily closed, including the Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre.
Several accommodation providers within our city are closed. Please ensure you check the status of operations with businesses directly. Social gatherings are limited to 50 people. Non-essential in-person gatherings of any size continue to be strongly discouraged.
Border Crossing
For information on international border crossing and how COVID-19 is impacting travel please click crossingmadeeasy.com. Effective 12:01 am March 21, 2020, entry in to Canada is prohibited to non-essential travel, and only to residents of Canada and the United States and/or immediate family planning to visit. Entry will not be permitted to all other foreign nationals.
As of January 29th, 2021 additional travel restrictions for international travel in to Canada were implemented, which also impacts cross border driver travel.
- Canadian airlines including Air Canada, Westjet, Sunwing and Air Transat are cancelling air service to all Caribbean destinations and Mexico starting this Sunday and lasting through April 30th, 2021
- All international passenger flights must land in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto or Montreal
- The government will soon introduce mandatory COVID-19 testing at airports for people coming into Canada and travellers will have to wait in hotels for test results for up to 3 days at their own expense
- If negative, travellers will be able to quarantine at home with increased surveillance and enforcement
- If positive, travellers will be required to quarantine in designated government facilities
- The government will soon require non-essential travellers to show a negative test entering at land borders with the U.S. and Trudeau says they’re working on additional testing requirements soon
CURRENT CAMPAIGNS
Check out our helpful guides (below) on locations still open in our region offering service.
For a list of restaurants and other establishments providing food take-out and delivery service please click here, including details on #TakeOutTuesday.
For a list of wineries offering pick-up and delivery service please click here, including details on #WineOrderWednesday.
For a list of breweries & distilleries offering pick-up and delivery service please click here, including details on #FillUpFriday.
Join in the positive vibe in the region – and share your good news pictures and stories about Windsor Essex with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #YQGStandsStrong. Click here for details.
STAKEHOLDER RESOURCES
For an update list of RESOURCES, WEBINARS and HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS for local businesses please check out our COVID-19 RESOURCE HUB.
