Woodbine Entertainment to celebrate Canada Day with some fans in stands for races
Ontario horse racing fans will be allowed back to watch live events starting next week.
Jim Lawson, the CEO of Woodbine Entertainment, says both Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto and Woodbine Mohawk Park in Campbellville, Ont., will allow spectators at 25 per cent capacity starting Canada Day (July 1).
The move comes after the Ontario government announced Thursday it will move into the second stage of its reopening plan next Wednesday.
The move to the second stage was slated to take effect July 2 but COVID-19 vaccination targets have already been reached, and other health indicators have improved since strict measures took effect in April to control the third wave of the global pandemic.
Under terms of the second stage, outdoor horse racing can be held at 25 per cent capacity.
The move to the second stage is also a very good sign for Ontario's three CFL franchises, with the 14-game schedule slated to start Aug. 5.
All three Ontario teams will open the '21 season on the road, with the Toronto Argonauts being the first to have a home game -- Aug. 21 versus the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The Ottawa Redblacks will host the B.C. Lions on Aug. 28, with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats returning to Tim Hortons Field to face the arch-rival Argos on Sept. 6 in the annual Labour Day Classic.
Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays and Major League Soccer's Toronto FC are playing out of temporary homes in Buffalo, N.Y., and Orlando, respectively. Because of border restrictions and the large amount of American teams in those two leagues, it is much more difficult for the Blue Jays and TFC to play in Toronto.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2021
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.