TORONTO -- Ontario will move to relax more COVID-19 restrictions sooner than planned, announcing Thursday a move into Step 2 of its reopening plan will take effect on June 30.
That will allow outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people, outdoor sports and music events at limited capacity, and the return of many personal care services, among other changes.
The move comes as Ontario exceeded projected timelines for the plan’s vaccination targets, the provincial government said, and as hospitalizations and ICU occupancy declined.
In order to enter Step 2 of the Roadmap, Ontario needed to have vaccinated 70 per cent of adults with one dose and 20 per cent with two doses for at least two weeks.
As of June 23, the province said, more than 76 per cent of the population aged 18 and over had received at least one dose, while more than 29 per cent had received a second dose.
The province moved into Step 1 on June 11. It could institute Step 3 as soon as July 21, with its vaccination targets already reached.
That would permit the return of movie theatres, gyms and indoor gatherings, as well as casino and bingo halls.
Outgoing chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams said the progress was encouraging, but shouldn’t be taken for granted.
“Due to the continued commitment of Ontarians adhering to public health measures and going out to get vaccinated, we’ve seen our key health indicators continue to improve,” he said. “While we can now begin preparing to ease public health measures under the Roadmap, the fight against COVID-19 is not over and we must continue adhering to the public health advice and measures currently in place.”
Rules under Step 2, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on June 30, allow activities including:
- Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people;
- Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 5 people;
- Essential and other select retail permitted at 50 per cent capacity;
- Non-essential retail permitted at 25 per cent capacity;
- Personal care services where face coverings can be worn at all times, and at 25 per cent capacity and other restrictions;
- Outdoor dining with up to six people per table, with exceptions for larger households and other restrictions;
- Indoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services permitted at up to 25 per cent capacity of the particular room;
- Outdoor sports without contact or modified to avoid contact, with no specified limit on number of people or teams participating, with restrictions;
- Outdoor sport facilities with spectators permitted at 25 per cent capacity;
- Outdoor concert venues, theatres and cinemas, with spectators permitted at 25 per cent capacity;
- Outdoor fairs, rural exhibitions, festivals, permitted at 25 per cent capacity and with other restrictions.
