Ontario is moving to Step 2 of reopening early – Here’s what it will include

It’s official, Toronto! The province is moving rapidly along in the road to reopening. This morning, Ontario announced that we’ll be entering Step 2 of the ongoing recovery plan as early as Wednesday, June 30th. That’s less than a week away! The plan was changed to enter Step 2 early as we continue in a successful rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

The official announcement came this morning in a new release issued by the Ontario government. The announcement moves this stage of the reopening plan up by two days.

“Because of the tireless work of our health care heroes, and the record setting success of our vaccine rollout, we are able to move into Step Two ahead of schedule on June 30 with the support of our public health experts” said Premier Doug Ford. “We are proceeding safely with the re-opening of our province and will continue to work around the clock until the job is done.”

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So, what can we expect in Step 2? We’re here to give you the rundown.

Outdoor gatherings will be upped to a maximum of 25 people at this stage. Indoor gatherings will be allowed with up to 5 people. Essential retail will be operating at 50% capacity, while non-essential will be permitted at 25% capacity.

Personal care services where face coverings can be worn at all times will be allowed at 25% capacity. So, if you’re in desperate need of a haircut, now’s your chance!

Outdoor dining will also be loosening restrictions; moving from maximum of 4 people per table to 6 people per table, with exceptions for larger households.

Indoor religious services and ceremonies will be permitted at up to 25% capacity per room.

Outdoor fitness classes are allowed with any number of people, as long as they can maintain 3 metres of physical distance. Outdoor sports with no contact are also allowed without a specific limit on the number of participants. Outdoor sports facilities with spectators will be permitted at 25% capacity.

Outdoor concert venues, theatres, and cinemas will be able to operate at 25% capacity. Plus, outdoor horse racing, motor speedways, outdoor fairs rural exhibitions, and festivals; all at 25% capacity (and in some cases with other restrictions.

Overnight camps for children will also be operating under specific safety guidelines outlined by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

So, what’s the reason for the early timeline? Turns out the province has actually surpassed the outlined required number of vaccinated adults for Step 2 and already hit the required number for Step 3! As it stands today, more than 76% of Ontario’s adult population has received one dose and more than 26% have received their second dose. Over 13.3 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered province-wide.

Not too shabby, Ontario! If you haven’t booked your COVID-19 vaccine yet, you can do so here.