After months of waiting, F45 Training Newmarket owner Teresa Smith is ready to welcome people back into her gym when the province moves to its next stage of reopening July 16.
York's indoor gyms will be able to open at 50 per cent capacity for the first time in many months, after being limited to outdoor classes only since March. The province announced the move today, July 9.
Smith said she is excited by the prospect, but added the challenges are not over for her industry.
"We've been closed down for 16 months, so we need time to build back up. We've had to accrue so much debt," Smith said. "Without government support, there's going to be a lot of companies that are going to go bankrupt."
The province's third stage of reopening allows many sectors to reopen more fully. Indoor dining is now permitted with less limits, while religious and wedding services can continue without capacity limits, with physical distancing required.
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Smith said she feels her gym could open at 100 per cent capacity with the health and safety precautions she has in place. She said although reopening as is will help, more is needed for businesses to recover.
"It's going to be a long, drawn-out process. People still need to be able to trust the indoor environment, that they're not going to get sick," Smith said. "Although this is a step in the right direction, it's not a complete solution."
Newmarket Mayor John Taylor said the reopening is great news and that people across the province can pat themselves on the back for following health protocols to get to this point.
But he added even as people return to a sense of normalcy, some businesses will not feel that way yet.
"Economic recovery is going to take closer to a year, if not more," Taylor said. "Even though everything will feel great to us next week, those businesses are behind in revenue for a year. So we need to keep supporting them."
Movie theatres will also be opening for the first time in months, at 50 per cent capacity. Cineplex president and CEO Ellis Jacob welcomed the news.
“Our team has been waiting for this day and are thrilled that next week we will finally be able to reopen our doors in Ontario,” Jacob said in a news release. “We can now enjoy movies the way that they’re meant to be seen."
Taylor said the town will slowly start to reopen its facilities, though that will take more time. However, he said the town hopes to run outdoor concerts this summer.
He emphasized that people still need to take precautions and get vaccinated for things to stay open into the fall.
"Vaccinations are the key to staying this free," Taylor said, "and open(ing) it even more."
Smith said the conversation on recovery needs to continue even after businesses open their doors further next week.
"Small businesses, our industry, and all industries still need all the support they can get from people purchasing locally," she said. "But as well, the government entities that made the last year and a half extremely difficult, they need to step up and provide proper support."
