Ontario lifts capacity limits in restaurants, gyms, casinos today
Municipal leaders and business owners welcomed the lifting of capacity limits for facilities requiring proof of COVID-19 immunization on Monday, but said more help is needed to bounce back from the pandemic.
Starting at midnight, restaurants, gyms, casinos and other locations required to ask customers for proof of immunization could open to a full house.
Other spaces not subject to that provincial rule like museums and galleries, places of worship and personal care services were also permitted to fully open, but only if they required proof of vaccination.
Edison Xue, the manager of La Prep restaurant in downtown Toronto, said the province's decision to lift capacity restrictions is good, but won't help his business as long people continue to mostly work from home.
"It's really hard to say (if it's) going to help my business or not because my business really depends on how the pandemic goes," Xue said on Monday.
"It really depends (on) how many people really come back to work, not like once or twice a week."
Mayors of the largest municipalities in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area said they support the province's move to lift capacity limits.
"This is a sign of the progress we have made across the GTHA and the entire province combatting COVID-19 and getting residents vaccinated," the group said in a written statement following a meeting.
They also encouraged people to support local businesses, especially restaurants still struggling from losses they accumulated during the health crisis.
"Many businesses have a COVID hangover from the earlier stages of the pandemic and need our support by shopping, eating and drinking local," the statement said.
Premier Doug Ford announced the changes on Friday as he unveiled plans for managing the pandemic long term.
Those plans include aiming to remove all public health measures meant to slow the spread of COVID-19 by late March, including mask mandates.
Proof-of-vaccination requirements will start to be lifted early next year -- as long as trends don't become concerning -- starting with restaurants, bars, gyms and casinos in January.
Ford describes his approach to loosening restrictions as "super cautious."
Ontario reported 326 new COVID-19 cases on Monday and no new deaths from the virus.
The province said 87 per cent of residents aged 12 and older had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and 83 per cent had received both shots.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2021.
- With files from Maan Alhmidi
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their “extremely dangerous” experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Her fiance has been in prison for 49 years. She's trying to free him before it’s too late
She was lying in bed on a Thursday morning, thinking about the man she loved, hoping to win his freedom before time ran out.