Ontario moves to Step 2 of its reopening plan. Here's everything that can reopen today

TORONTO -

Ontario moves into Step 2 of its COVID-19 reopening plan this morning, as more residents become partly and fully vaccinated.

Effective as of 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, personal care services where face coverings can be worn at all times, like hair cuts, can resume at 25 per cent capacity, outdoor sports games and events can welcome spectators to 25 per cent capacity, and outdoor social gathering limits have been increased to up to 25 people.

Indoor social gatherings will now be allowed for up to five people, outdoor diners can seat six to a table, and stores in shopping malls can open with restrictions.

Essential retail capacity limits are being moved to 50 per cent capacity, and non-essential retail must operate at 25 per cent capacity.

Large indoor religious services or ceremonies, including weddings and funerals, can go ahead with 25 per cent capacity. Outdoor services will be capped at the number of people that can maintain a distance of two metres.

Amusement parks, water parks, outdoor cinemas, performing arts, and live music events, can all operate at 25 per cent capacity.

The threshold for moving into Step 2 of the reopening plan included vaccine first-dose coverage of 70 to 80 per cent of Ontarians 18 and older, and second-dose coverage of 20 per cent.

The provincial government has said Ontario will need to wait 21 days from the start of the second step, before moving into Step 3.

Dr. Kieran Moore, the province's new Chief Medical Officer of Health, doubled down on the three-week timeline in his first news conference on Tuesday.