Gyms, restaurants, movie theatres reopen as Ontario moves into Step 3
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Slovakian prime minister in life-threatening condition after being shot, his Facebook profile says
Slovakia's populist Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition after being wounded in a shooting after a political event Wednesday afternoon, according to his Facebook profile.
B.C. mom whose son died from wildfire smoke trying to make this year safer
As wildfires rage in British Columbia, the family of a nine-year-old who died last summer is trying to protect people from poor air quality due to smoke this year.
'Not a scarient': New COVID-19 subvariant dominant in Canada
A new COVID-19 subvariant is dominant in Canada, representing just over 30 per cent of cases in the country, but infectious disease experts say there’s no sign it’ll evolve into a summer 'scarient.'
DEVELOPING Massive manhunt in France for prison-break gang that gunned down officers
A massive manhunt was underway in France on Wednesday for armed assailants who ambushed a prison convoy, killing two prison officers, seriously injuring three others and springing the inmate they were escorting. The prime minister vowed the gang would be caught, saying, "They will pay."
Home sales in April up 10% compared with year ago, but monthly sales slow
The Canadian Real Estate Association says the number of home sales in April rose 10.1 per cent compared with a year ago, but attributed the gain primarily to the early Easter long weekend.
Ottawa to acquire Quebec Bridge from CN, will spend $1 billion on span over 25 years
The federal government says it has reached a deal with Canadian National Railway Company to acquire the historic Quebec Bridge.
Utah judge to decide if author of children's book on grief will face trial in her husband's death
A Utah woman who authorities say fatally poisoned her husband, then published a children’s book about coping with grief, will appear in court Wednesday for a hearing that will determine whether state prosecutors have enough evidence against her to proceed with a trial.
Growing wildfires across Western Canada are forcing thousands from their homes
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
Sun shoots out biggest solar flare in almost 2 decades, but Earth should be out of the way this time
The sun produced its biggest flare in nearly two decades Tuesday, just days after severe solar storms pummelled Earth and created dazzling northern lights in unaccustomed places.