The Ontario government announced on Friday (July 9) that the province will be moving to step three of its reopening plan a week earlier than scheduled — next Friday, July 16th.
Crowd limits for events and social gatherings increase to 25 indoors and 100 outdoors, indoor dining at restaurants will be permitted with no table limits (except for physical distancing), and concert and performing arts venues, as well as cinemas, can reopen with a 50 per cent capacity limit indoors.
Retail can operate with no capacity limits, other than ensuring two metres of physical distance between people, and museums, galleries, and historic sites can reopen at 50 per cent capacity indoors.
Face coverings in indoor public settings and physical distancing requirements will remain in place.
In a media release, the government said it made the decision since key public health and health care indicators continue to improve and the province-wide vaccination rate has surpassed the targets set for step three. To enter step three, Ontario needed to have vaccinated 70 to 80 per cent of adults with one dose and 25 per cent of adults with two doses for at least two weeks. As of July 8, over 77 per cent of the population in Ontario ages 12 and over have received one dose of a vaccine and over 50 per cent have received their second dose.
Here’s what will be allowed in step three, which takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 16:
- Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 100 people with limited exceptions.
- Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people.
- Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services permitted with physical distancing.
- Indoor dining permitted with no limits on the number of patrons per table with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect.
- Indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities to open subject to a maximum 50 per cent capacity of the indoor space. Capacity for indoor spectators is 50 per cent of the usual seating capacity or 1,000 people, whichever is less. Capacity for outdoor spectators is 75 per cent of the usual seating capacity or 15,000 people, whichever is less.
- Indoor meeting and event spaces permitted to operate with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect and capacity limited to not exceed 50 per cent capacity or 1,000 people, (whichever is less).
- Essential and non-essential retail with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres.
- Personal care services, including services requiring the removal of a face covering, with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres.
- Museums, galleries, historic sites, aquariums, zoos, landmarks, botanical gardens, science centres, casinos/bingo halls, amusement parks, fairs and rural exhibitions, festivals, with capacity limited to not exceed 50 per cent capacity indoors and 75 per cent capacity outdoors.
- Concert venues, cinemas, and theatres permitted to operate at up to 50 per cent capacity indoors (or a maximum limit of 1,000 people for seated events, whichever is less) and up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors (or a maximum limit of 5,000 people for unseated events, whichever is less), and up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors or a maximum of 15,000 people for events with fixed seating (whichever is less).
- Real estate open houses with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres; and
- Indoor food or drink establishments where dance facilities are provided, including nightclubs and restobars, permitted up to 25 per cent capacity or up to a maximum limit of 250 people (whichever is less).
The government says the province will remain in step three for at least 21 days and until 80 per cent of the eligible population aged 12 and over has received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 75 per cent have received their second, with no public health unit having less than 70 per cent of their population fully vaccinated.
After step three, the province says most public health and workplace safety measures, including capacity limits for indoor and outdoor settings and limits for social gatherings, will be lifted. Only a small number of measures will remain in place, including the requirement for passive screening, such as posting a sign, and businesses requiring a safety plan.
For a complete list of what will be allowed to open in step three, read the Ontario government’s regulation (PDF).
