Gyms, restaurants, movie theatres reopen as Ontario moves into Step 3

TORONTO -

Effective this morning, Ontario is entering the final stage of its COVID-19 economic reopening plan.

For the first time in months, indoor dining, gyms, cinemas, nightclubs and other venues will be able to reopen to the public. There will still be capacity limits at nearly all businesses, and masks will still be required.

Social gatherings of up to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors are now permitted.

In order to move to Step 3, the province needed to have between 70 to 80 per cent of adults immunized with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and at least 25 per cent with two doses.

Ontario far surpassed that threshold weeks ago. Now, more than 79 per cent of adults have received at least one dose, and more than 59 per cent are fully vaccinated.

The province also needed to see declines in key public health indicators including lower case counts and improved ICU occupancy.

On Thursday, Ontario reported 143 new COVID-19 infections, which marked a full week of the province recording fewer than 200 new cases per day.

The province will remain in Step 3 for at least three weeks, and until 80 per cent of the 12 and older population in Ontario has received at least one dose of a vaccine, and 75 per cent have received their second, with no public health unit having less than 70 per cent of their eligible population fully vaccinated.