Province Invites Ontarians to Safely Enjoy Summer at Ontario Place

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

The Ontario government is providing Ontario Place with $2 million to support on-site activities, including several innovative festivals and events that give people the opportunity to safely reengage in arts and culture experiences. As the province safely and gradually reopens, these initiatives will help with the economic recovery of the arts, entertainment and hospitality sectors in Ontario.

Details were provided today by Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, during an announcement alongside leaders in the entertainment industry at Ontario Place.

“Ontario’s heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries were hit first, the hardest, and will take the longest to recover from COVID-19,” said Minister MacLeod. “As we gradually reopen the province, Ontario Place offers exciting opportunities to safely come together to enjoy arts and culture experiences, while supporting the province’s economic recovery.”

This summer’s line-up at Ontario Place includes:

• Lavazza Drive-In Film Festival will feature the latest international films from different countries including France, Spain, China, Russia, the US, the UK, Brazil, India and Canada, with a special focus on Italy. It will run from July 20-31.
• Toronto Shines will present the best in live entertainment, comedy and current and classic films. It is running now through October.
• DriveInTO, a new initiative launched by the City of Toronto, will offer free drive-in film screenings in August with programming by Hot Docs, imagineNATIVE and TIFF.
• Toronto Undergraduate Jazz Festival, a not for profit organization that creates opportunities for young jazz artists to showcase their talent, will present a virtual jazz festival in the Trillium Park on September 5-6.
• Toronto International Film Festival will run from September 10-19, with 50 new feature films, five programmes of short films, as well as interactive talks, film cast reunions, and Q&As with cast and filmmakers tailored to fit the moment with physical screenings, digital screenings, and at drive-ins, including Ontario Place.

In addition to the summer line-up, Ontario Place continues to offer small boat rentals and a casual dining experience at Vista Eatery, a patio overlooking Lake Ontario. Visitors can also safely enjoy the sweeping waterfront views, trails and green space offered by the Trillium Park and William G. Davis Trail, while still practicin g physical distancing.

With Ontario Place open for public use, staff and partners are working to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. Visitors are encouraged to review the current COVID-19 updates before visiting the site and are asked to respect health and safety guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Businesses not able to open or resume full activities due to Stage 3 restrictions, or businesses that have ideas to safely amend Stage 3 restrictions or requirements can visit Ontario.ca/reopen to submit a reopening proposal. Government and public health officials will review proposals and contact businesses for feedback or clarifications. Proposals may inform the potential loosening of restrictions as Stage 3 progresses. Proposals will receive initial feedback within 10 days of submission. A sector could be allowed to reopen or resume activities based on Stage 3 proposals submitted by businesses.

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