Ford considering moving Ontario to Step 2 of reopening on June 30, sources say
Premier Doug Ford is considering moving up the second step of Ontario's economic reopening by two days and is set to make the final decision during a cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday, CTV News Toronto has learned.
If approved, sources say Step 2 of the economic reopening would be bumped up to June 30, allowing personal care services and larger outdoor gatherings to resume.
It was originally scheduled for July 2, which is 21 days since Ontario entered Step 1.
Premier Ford was asked about speeding up the reopening process on Wednesday, while announcing the ground-breaking of the future three-stop Scarborough subway extension in Toronto.
“We’re working to get to Stage 2 as quickly as possible and Step 3, as soon as it’s safe, after that,” Ford said.
The news comes amid a surge in vaccination rates and as COVID-19 cases across Ontario continue to trend downwards in recent weeks.
In fact, on Tuesday, Ontario met the vaccination thresholds required to enter the third and final step of its economic reopening weeks ahead of schedule, with 76 per cent of residents aged 18 and above having received their first dose, while 25 per cent of the adult population has been fully vaccinated.
However, the province’s top health officials have made clear that the province would wait a minimum of 21 days before advancing to the next stage of reopening.
Ford said that Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams and Minister of Health Christine Elliott are currently reviewing Ontario’s COVID-19 case data as it pertains to reopening.
He said the pair will be coming out with an announcement on the matter “very shortly.”
Based on the original schedule, Ontarians had been expecting to enter Step 3, which allows for the most lenient of public health restrictions, on July 23 at the earliest.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
These snakes not only fake their own deaths, they use gory special effects to do it
Awards season may be over for human actors this year, but there’s no rest for some of nature’s most audacious thespians.