NEWS

Halton enters Lockdown on December 26, 2020

Looking towards the new year, the real estate landscape in Oakville, Milton, and surrounding areas will face continued restrictions. Ontario is experiencing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, and REALTORS® must do their part to minimize the spread of the virus. That includes, among other things, a temporary return to conducting business by virtual processes only.

As of December 26, 2020, Halton will join the rest of the province entering the Lockdown stage of Ontario’s COVID-19 Framework.

For real estate, the Lockdown stage means:

• Real Estate is still designated as an essential service. Therefore, real estate businesses in regions under Lockdown can continue to operate provided they follow the direction of public health officials. However, this may require your Brokerage office to temporarily shut down and move back to your previously implemented virtual or work from home protocols.
• Enforcement of proper COVID-19 protocols will be increased, which puts greater emphasis on keeping your clients and communities safe by using technological alternatives first and as much as possible.
• Open Houses are still prohibited. This has not changed since Halton entered the “Control” stage of Ontario’s COVID-19 Framework. Please continue to use online virtual open houses.
• Private in-person showings are not recommended and should be avoided. Please continue to use online virtual showings.
• Documents should be signed electronically via DocuSign or AuthentiSign.

Changes to Real Estate Board operations:

• Effective Noon on Thursday, December 24, 2020 until January 3, 2021, OMDREB’s offices are closed for the holidays. Staff will still monitor email inboxes and assist Members when possible.
• Effective January 4, 2021, OMDREB’s offices will remain closed to the public and staff will be working from home until further notice. As was the case during previous lockdowns, all operations will resume as normal and OMDREB staff will be fully accessible by phone and email during regular office hours, Monday to Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm.
• MyStore orders will continue to be fulfilled online-only, and Members are required to arrange for contactless curbside pickup from the Oakville office location.

Each of us has a role to play in stopping the spread of COVID-19, and REALTORS® are trusted professionals in the communities where they work. We must continue to put our health and safety first by taking another temporary virtual approach to doing business. Thank you for showing outstanding resilience in adapting to new and ever-changing regulations around safety protocols related to real estate.