Businesses look ahead to operating with few restrictions
Some Barrie businesses are excited by the news of what operations may look like once the province moves past Step Three of its reopening plan.
On Friday, the provincial government confirmed that once Ontario is ready to move past Step Three, only a small number of current restrictions will remain in place, including no longer limiting capacity in businesses.
"We couldn't ask for more," says Sunny Jung, the owner of Everleigh, a gift shop located in downtown Barrie. "Stores like ours need volume. Often people don't want to wait too long, and they'll just go, and this is the kind of store where people take literally half an hour and more."
Businesses will still be required to have a safety plan and ensure appropriate signage for passive screening is posted.
The loosened restrictions can't come soon enough for Stella Gan, the owner of Liberty North, an event centre. While she hopes that the lifting of capacity limits will bring back large weddings and conferences, she remains concerned.
"For those conferences and events, there's still some hesitation on the clients part because of the unknown," Gan says. "There's that fear, 'will the lockdown come back in place or the restrictions come back in place?"
The province has more metrics to hit for Step Three to be lifted, including having 75 per cent of the eligible population fully immunized.
To avoid more lockdowns, Dr. Sohail Gandhi, a Stayner physician who was once the president of the Ontario Medical Association, says getting as many vaccinated as possible remains critical.
"We are going to see an increase of people with mild cases, coughs, sore throat, muscle aches, but based on the United Kingdom, we should hopefully not see people in hospital, but we'll need to watch for that," says Gandhi.
While no date has been provided for when the province will exit Step Three, the premier has said it could be as soon as the middle of August.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.