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For retail businesses, they will only be allowed to sell essential items to customers. The province provided a list of what those items are, and including food, personal hygiene products, health-related products, winter clothing, pet food, major household appliances and cellphones and cellphone accessories, among others.
Non-essential items refer to any goods and products not set out in the orders. This includes jewelry, flowers, perfume, other cosmetics, consumer electronics, sporting equipment, books and toys.
“Some Manitobans, and unfortunately some retailers as well, are going against the spirit of those rules,” Premier Brian Pallister said. “And thus, they are creating a greater risk to public safety.”
Retailers can continue to sell essential or non-essential items online, by telephone or by remote means for delivery or curbside pickup.
The latest restrictions are on top of the ones put in place just last week.
“Despite that, we saw people gathering at rallies. We saw crowded parking lots at big box stores. We saw people continue to go out for non-essential items,” Roussin said. “So we’re left with no choice but to announced further measures to protect Manitobans, to limit the spread of this virus.”
The new orders come into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Friday.
Retail businesses will be prohibited from selling non-essential goods from that point on but will be given until Saturday morning at 12:01 a.m. to remove non-essential items from areas of stores where the public has access or physically restrict access to those items (roped off, taped off, etc). Signs or stickers on items in the business clearly identifying items that cannot be purchased.
