Ontario pauses next step of reopening plan as COVID-19 cases increase
Ontario is pausing the next step of the reopening plan after an increase in COVID-19 cases.
On Nov. 15, capacity limits were supposed to be lifted in remaining high-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required.
That step has been delayed at least 28 days, the province said Wednesday.
These higher-risk settings include:
- Food or drink establishments with dance facilities such as night clubs and wedding receptions in meeting/event spaces where there is dancing
- Strip clubs
- Sex clubs and bathhouses
The restrictions currently in place limit nightclubs and bathhouses to 25 per cent capacity or 250 patrons, whichever is less.
At strip clubs, there is no set capacity limit but establishments must ensure there is physical distancing of at least two metres between groups.
No other changes to the reopening plan have been made at this time.
Health officials said that while Ontario's hospital and intensive care capacity remains stable, certain public health trends, including the effective reproduction number and percent positivity, have increased slightly over the past week.
Ontario's rolling seven-day average of COVID-19 cases now stands at 502, up from 379 at this point last week.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said Wednesday Ontario is pausing the reopening plan "out of an abundance of caution."
"To ensure we maintain our progress, it is necessary to make this deliberate pause," Moore said.
Moore said while he expects cases to keep rising in Ontario, he does not think the province will need to reintroduce restrictions on a provincial level.
"Honestly, I do not see us stepping backwards," Moore said. "If we have to, we'll pause, but we won't take a step backwards."
Moore said if any additional restrictions are needed, they will be brought in on a regional basis.
"This battle against this fast, furious, foe will be fought at a regional level."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.