Listen Live
HomeNewsOntario to allow more businesses to reopen as Step Two begins Wednesday

Ontario to allow more businesses to reopen as Step Two begins Wednesday

Ontario is moving into Step Two of its Roadmap to Reopening a couple of days earlier than expected.  The province has just announced that Step Two will begin on Wednesday, June 30th.  It was originally planned for July 2nd.

That means you can have up to five people for a visit inside your home, a backyard gathering of up to 25 people, get your hair cut or nails done, and attend a wedding or religious service with up to 25 percent capacity.

“Because of the tireless work of our health care heroes, and the record-setting success of our vaccine rollout, we are able to move into Step Two ahead of schedule on June 30 with the support of our public health experts,” said Premier Doug Ford. “We are proceeding safely with the re-opening of our province and will continue to work around the clock until the job is done.”

In order to enter Step 2 Ontario needed to vaccinate up to 70 percent of its adult population with one dose and 20 percent with a second dose.  As of Wednesday, over 76 percent of the population has received one dose with 29 percent fully vaccinated.  And while we have surpassed that and the threshold for entering Step Three, officials say it is likely we will remain in Step Two for 21 days to allow recent vaccinations to provide immunity to the population and to evaluate any impacts of moving to Step Two on key public health and health care indicators. In a statement, officials say, “When it is determined to be safe, the province will promptly move to Step Three of the Roadmap to Reopen.”

Under Step Two the following is now allowed:

  • Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people;
  • Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 5 people;
  • Essential and other select retail permitted at 50 percent capacity;
  • Non-essential retail permitted at 25 percent capacity;
  • Personal care services where face coverings can be worn at all times, and at 25 percent capacity and other restrictions;
  • Outdoor dining with up to 6 people per table, with exceptions for larger households and other restrictions;
  • Indoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services permitted at up to 25 percent capacity of the particular room;
  • Outdoor fitness classes limited to the number of people who can maintain 3 metres of physical distance;
  • Outdoor sports without contact or modified to avoid contact, with no specified limit on number of people or teams participating, with restrictions;
  • Overnight camps for children operating in a manner consistent with the safety guidelines produced by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health;
  • Outdoor sport facilities with spectators permitted at 25 percent capacity;
  • Outdoor concert venues, theatres, and cinemas, with spectators permitted at 25 percent capacity;
  • Outdoor horse racing and motor speedways, with spectators permitted at 25 percent capacity;
  • Outdoor fairs, rural exhibitions, festivals, permitted at 25 percent capacity and with other restrictions.
- Advertisment -
- Advertisment -
- Advertisement -

Continue Reading