Ontario reducing capacity limits at indoor sports venues to 1,000 people

Ontario is reducing capacity limits inside sporting venues to 1,000 people due to rising COVID-19 cases, the province announced Thursday.

The new limit will go into effect Friday, impacting professional sports teams like the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, and NBA's Toronto Raptors.

Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment venues such as Scotiabank Arena - which hosts the Raptors and Maple Leafs - will transition to operating without any sold tickets effective Dec. 31 except for league and team requirements for up to 1,000 per game, MLSE announced.

The Maple Leafs and Senators both played all of last season without fans. The Leafs were allowed to host 550 vaccinated healthcare workers during their final playoff game.

The Raptors, meanwhile, took up residence in Tampa Bay last season due to the pandemic.

All three clubs were able to have full crowds for the majority of their current seasons until the Ontario government set a 50% cap in mid-December.