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
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.