As of Friday, we're moving to step one of reopening, which includes limited outdoor dining, non-essential shopping, overnight camping, short-term rentals, outdoor fitness classes and outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people.
The provincewide vaccination rate of 72 per cent of adults with at least one dose and continuing improvements in key public health and health system indicators are the reasons for the reopening originally anticipated for June 14, according to an Ontario government news release today.
Step one of its Roadmap to Reopen kicks in at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, June 11.
Step one permits more outdoor activities with smaller crowds where risk of transmission is lower, as well as reopens some indoor settings, all with restrictions in place.
In consultation with chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams, the province amended step one to permit indoor religious services, rites and ceremonies, including wedding and funeral services limited to 15 per cent capacity.
On May 31, Newmarket politicians passed a resolution urging the province to permit personal care services, patio dining and in-person non-essential shopping earlier than planned because of the "desperate" situation for small businesses.
Last week, York Region politicians and medical officer of health Dr. Karim Kurji also urged the province to reopen earlier and ease the restrictions in step one.
Given the decline in cases and other key metrics, York Region could safely reopen gyms and personal care with specific limitations, rather than wait until July, Kurji said.
“We are at (COVID-19) levels we haven’t seen for many, many months,” Kurji said. “That is too slow of a reopening agenda.”
The rolling seven-day daily case average in York Region dropped to 52 yesterday, and the incidence rate has plummeted to 39 per 100,000 population. More than 75 per cent of adults age 18 and older have received at least one dose.
“Thanks to the ongoing success of Team Ontario’s vaccine rollout and the ongoing improvements in public health trends, we are able to enter step one of the roadmap and begin to safely and cautiously lift restrictions,” said Premier Doug Ford. “The only reason we’re able to do so is because of the enormous sacrifices made by individuals, families and communities across Ontario. As we begin to enjoy the benefits of the first step in our roadmap like meeting friends on a patio or visiting your favourite local store, please do so safely by continuing to follow all public health guidelines.”
As of June 6 at 8 p.m., 72 per cent of the 18+ population in Ontario had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine with more than 10 million doses now having been administered.
From May 25 to 31, the provincial case rate decreased by 35.1 per cent, according to the province.
As of June 6, the number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs is 497, including 31 patients from Manitoba, compared to 687 two weeks ago.
Those numbers exceed the best-case scenario presented in recent modelling, which indicated the province would reach below 1,000 new daily infections by June 30.
Here what's permitted in step one:
- Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 10 people;
- Non-essential retail at 15 per cent capacity, with no restrictions on the goods that can be sold;
- Essential and other select retail permitted at 25 per cent capacity, with no restrictions on the goods that can be sold;
- Outdoor dining with up to four people per table, with exceptions for larger households;
- Outdoor fitness classes, outdoor groups in personal training and outdoor individual/team sport training to be permitted with up to 10 people, among other restrictions;
- Day camps for children;
- Overnight camping at campgrounds and campsites, including Ontario Parks, and short-term rentals;
- Outdoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services, capped at the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres;
- Indoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services permitted at up to 15 per cent capacity of the particular room;
- Concert venues, theatres and cinemas may open outdoors for the purpose of rehearsing or performing a recorded or broadcast concert, artistic event, theatrical performance or other performance with no more than 10 performers, among other restrictions;
- Outdoor horse racing tracks and motor speedways without spectators and;
- Outdoor attractions such as zoos, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens with capacity and other restrictions.
In addition, the government is allowing school boards to invite students back for brief outdoor end-of-year celebration. Any in-person school year celebrations will need to meet specific requirements.
The Town of Newmarket is offering free bookings for graduation ceremonies at the Fairy Lake amphitheatre.
The province will remain in step one for at least 21 days to evaluate any impacts on key public health and health system indicators. If at the end of the 21 days the province has vaccinated 70 per cent of adults with one dose and 20 per cent of adults with two doses and there are continued improvements in other key public health and health system indicators, the province will move to step two.
All public health and workplace safety measures will remain in effect until the province moves to step one on June 11 at 12:01 a.m.
“While we have reached the point where we can safely move into step one, now is not the time to get complacent,” said Williams. “We must all remain vigilant, as the fight against COVID-19 is not over. By continuing to follow public health advice and measures we can continue to reduce transmission, safeguard health system capacity and save lives.”
