Patio dining, non-essential shopping allowed starting Friday as Ontario enters Step 1
Simcoe Muskoka business owners waiting to reopen and remove restrictions on what items they can sell will be able to breathe a sigh of relief as the province moves into Step 1 of its economic reopening plan earlier than initially scheduled.
The province announced that Ontario would shift into the first stage of reopening on Friday rather than Monday.
"The only reason we're able to do so is because of the enormous sacrifices made by individuals, families and communities across Ontario," Premier Doug Ford said in a statement Monday.
Moving to Step 1 means limited patio dining, indoor shopping and outdoor gatherings up to 10 people.
Stores can open all aisles with no restrictions on what can be sold, and non-essential retail can welcome back customers with a 15 per cent capacity limit.
Here is what else is permitted in Step 1:
- outdoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services, capped at the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres
- indoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services permitted at up to 15 per cent capacity of the particular room
- essential and other select retail permitted at 25 per cent capacity
- outdoor dining with up to four people per table, with exceptions for larger households
- outdoor fitness classes, outdoor groups in personal training and outdoor individual/team sport training to be permitted with up to 10 people, among other restrictions
- day camps for children permitted to operate in a manner consistent with the safety guidelines for COVID-19
- overnight camping at campgrounds and campsites, including Ontario Parks, and short-term rentals
- concert venues, theatres and cinemas may open outdoors for the purpose of rehearsing or performing a recorded or broadcasted concert, artistic event, theatrical performance or other performance with no more than 10 performers, among other restrictions
- outdoor horse racing tracks and motor speedways permitted to operate without spectators
- outdoor attractions such as zoos, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens with capacity and other restrictions
"As we begin to enjoy the benefits of the first step in our roadmap like meeting friends on a patio or visiting your favourite local store, please do so safely by continuing to follow all public health guidelines," Ford added.
It's anticipated the province will move to Step 2 roughly three weeks later; however, there are no exact dates.
Complete details on what Ontario's three-tiered reopening plan means for Simcoe Muskoka are available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.