Ontario enters Step 1 of COVID-19 reopening. Your top questions answered
Ontario is entering Step 1 of its reopening plan three days ahead of schedule—a move that will allow residents to enjoy the summer weather with a variety of outdoor activities now permitted.
The province was supposed to begin reopening on June 14, but Premier Doug Ford’s office said that the situation in Ontario is “exceeding the best-case scenario.”
But what does moving into Step 1 mean? Here is answers to some of the top reopening questions:
When does Step 1 start and how long does it last?
Ontario entered Step 1 of the reopening plan at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, June 11. The government has said it will wait at least 21 days between each step. This means Ontario will likely move into Step 2 on July 2.
Does Step 1 apply to the entire province?
The Ontario government has moved the entire province into Step 1, however local public health units do have the power to hold their region back. Porcupine Health Unit is the only PHU extending the current pandemic lockdown until June 24.
Can I gather with friends and family now?
Outdoor gatherings and public events are now permitted with a maximum of 10 people. Indoor gatherings with people outside of your household are still not allowed.
Can I go to a patio or eat at a restaurant?
Patios are permitted to reopen in Step 1, with a maximum of four people at a table, unless they live in the same household. There is no cap on the number of tables on a patio, but officials have said that there must be two-metres between each table or group of people.
Restaurants with patios can return to their normal hours of liquor service, Monday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Indoor dining is still prohibited.
Can I shop in-person now?
All retail can now open with strict capacity limits. Essential and other select retail will be allowed 25 per cent capacity while designated non-essential retail will be allowed to open with 15 per cent capacity.
There is no longer any restrictions on the goods that can be sold in an essential store.
Malls, however, remain closed to in-person shopping. Only stores featuring street-front entrances will be allowed to open.
Are gyms allowed to open?
Gyms and indoor fitness studios remain closed, however outdoor fitness classes are being allowed to resume with a 10-person cap. This includes personal training and outdoor individual/team sport training.
What’s happening with schools?
Schools remain closed to in-person learning, however the province did say that outdoor graduation ceremonies would be welcome for every grade. Most school boards in Toronto and the GTA have already said they will not be hosting in-person graduations, choosing instead to stick with their pre-planned virtual celebrations.
Schools are expected to resume in-person learning in September
Can I visit my cottage or travel outside my region?
There are no restrictions on in-province travel in Step 1.
Can I get a hair cut?
No. Personal care services are allowed to resume in Step 2 of Ontario’s reopening plan.
Is camping allowed?
Yes. Provincial parks in Ontario will open to overnight camping in Step 1. Provincial parks are also open for day use, however 17 parks will require pre-booking in order to address capacity limits.
What about summer camps?
Day camps for children are allowed to operate as long as they follow proper COVID-19 safety protocols. Overnight camps are not permitted.
What are the rules for religious ceremonies?
Indoor religious ceremonies are allowed with a 15 per cent capacity limit per room.
Outdoor religious services, including weddings and funerals, have no capacity limits. Instead, the government has capped the number of people in attendance based on how many people can be in an area while maintaining physical distancing.
What’s next?
In Step 2, further outdoor activities such as outdoor sports and leagues will resume and some indoor services will start back up. Outdoor gatherings will be expanded to 25 people and indoor gatherings of up to five people will be allowed.
Outdoor waterparks and amusement parks will also open.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.