Ontario to Move Into Phase 1 on Friday

Monday, 7 June 2021 12:34

Ontarians will be able to enjoy patios this weekend.

The province has confirmed Ontario will enter step one of the re-opening plan at 12:01 a.m. on Friday.

The announcement comes after Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark tweeted the following this afternoon.

"Based on Ontario's vaccination rate and continuing improvements in key public health indicators, our government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, will move the province into Step One of its Roadmap to Reopen at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, June 11, 2021."

In order to re-open the province, Ontario needed to have administered at least one vaccination to 60 percent of the population.

As of last night, 72 percent of those 18 plus had received a first dose, with the province hitting the ten million mark.

Opening the Province on Friday means we could move into Phase 2 as early as July 2.

Step 1 will include opening additional outdoor activities starting the week of June 14 with smaller crowds. This will include the following:

- Outdoor gatherings up to 10 people;
- Outdoor dining up to 4 people per table;
- Outdoor fitness classes, personal training and sports training up to 10 people;
- Essential retail at 25 per cent capacity and can sell all goods (including discount and big box);
- Non-essential retail at 15 per cent capacity;
- Retail stores in malls closed unless the stores have a street facing entrance;
- Outdoor religious services, rites and ceremonies with capacity limited to permit 2 metres’ physical distancing;
- Horse racing and motor speedways without spectators;
- Outdoor horse riding;
- Outdoor pools, splash pads and wading pools with capacity limited to permit 2 metres’ physical distancing;
- Outdoor zoos, landmarks, historic sites, and botanical gardens with capacity limits;
- Campsites, campgrounds and short-term rentals; and
- Ontario Parks.

Ontario has already reached the vaccination threshold to enter step 1. Each step will happen with a 21 day interval and each step is based on hitting vaccine targets.

- Step 1: 60 per cent of adults vaccinated with one dose.
- Step 2: 70 per cent of adults vaccinated with one dose and 20 per cent vaccinated with two doses.
- Step 3: 70 to 80 per cent of adults vaccinated with one dose and 25 per cent vaccinated with two doses.

You can find more information on the roadmap to reopening online here.