Bigger social gatherings, indoor dining and the reopening of gyms are some of what Ontarians have to look forward to as the province further loosens COVID-19 restrictions.
Today, Ontario starts Step 3 of the Roadmap to Reopen. Face coverings in indoor public settings and physical distancing are still required. Face coverings are required in some outdoor public settings as well.
Step 3 allows for, but isn't limited to:
- Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 100 people
- Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people
- Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services are allowed with physical distancing
- Indoor dining is permitted with no limits on the number of people per table and buffets are allowed
- Indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities can open at a maximum 50 per cent capacity of the indoor space. Capacity for indoor spectators is 50 per cent of the usual seating capacity or 1,000 people, whichever is less. Capacity for outdoor spectators is 75 per cent of the usual seating capacity or 15,000 people, whichever is less
- Indoor meeting and event spaces are permitted to operate with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect and capacity limited to not exceed 50 per cent capacity or 1,000 people, (whichever is less).
- Essential and non-essential retail capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres
- Personal care services requiring the removal of face masks are permitted
- Museums, galleries, historic sites, aquariums, zoos, landmarks, botanical gardens, science centres, casinos/bingo halls, amusement parks, fairs and rural exhibitions, festivals can open with limited capacity
- Concert venues, cinemas, and theatres permitted to operate at:
- up to 50 per cent capacity indoors or a maximum limit of 1,000 people for seated events (whichever is less)
- up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors or a maximum limit of 5,000 people for unseated events (whichever is less); and up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors or a maximum of 15,000 people for events with fixed seating (whichever is less).
- Real estate open houses with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres
- Nightclubs and restobars are allowed to open with up to 25 per cent capacity or up to a maximum limit of 250 people (whichever is less)
Grey Bruce Health Unit's medical officer of health has added modifications to Step 3 for the Grey-Bruce region, which will be in place until "a majority" of youth aged 12-35 are fully vaccinated or the current case surge has diminished.
He strongly recommends the public follow these additional modifications:
- Outdoor gatherings be limited to 25 people outdoors and five people indoors.
- Public strongly encouraged to only dine outdoors.
- Masks required in service and salon settings (ie, don't perform services that require a client to remove their mask)
Ontario moved to Step 2 on June 30 and was supposed to be at that stage for at least 21 days. The province has already met its key vaccination targets for the move — having 70 to 80 per cent of adults with one dose and 25 per cent of adults being fully vaccinated — as well as other key public health indicators such as hospitalizations, ICU occupancy and weekly case rates.
The province will stay at Step 3 for at least 21 days and until 80 per cent of the eligible population 12 years and up has their first dose and 75 per cent have received their second dose, according to the announcement. All public health units must also have at least 70 per cent of their population fully vaccinated.
If the province meets these thresholds and the health care indicators remain stable, "the vast majority of public health and workplace safety measures, including capacity limits for indoor and outdoor settings and limits for social gatherings, will be lifted," according to the Step 3 announcement.
A full breakdown of the Roadmap to Reopen is available here.
