More businesses across the province are set to reopen today after a months-long shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The next phase/stage of the province’s reopening plan includes:
- Retail services that are not in shopping malls and have separate street-front entrances with measures in place that can enable physical distancing, such as limiting the number of customers in the store at any one time and booking appointments beforehand or on the spot.
- Seasonal businesses and recreational activities for individual or single competitors, including training and sport competitions conducted by a recognized national or provincial sport organization. This includes indoor and outdoor non-team sport competitions that can be played while maintaining physical distancing and without spectators, such as tennis, track and field and horse racing.
- Animal services, specifically pet care services, such as grooming and training, and regular veterinary appointments.
- Indoor and outdoor household services that can follow public health guidelines, such as housekeepers, cooks, cleaning and maintenance.
- Lifting essential workplace limits on construction.
- Allowing certain health and medical services to resume, such as in-person counselling; in-person services, in addition to virtual services, delivered by health professionals; and scheduled surgeries, all based on the ability to meet pre-specified conditions as outlined in A Measured Approach to Planning for Surgeries and Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Businesses that do choose to reopen will be expected to follow strict public health measures to help prevent a second wave of COVID-19.
“During the last several weeks, the people of Ontario have been called on to make incredible sacrifices to help us stop the spread of COVID-19, including staying home from work, closing down businesses and going without a regular paycheque,” said Premier Ford. “However, we are reopening even more of our businesses beginning this long weekend. We are taking a cautious, balanced approach to our economic reopening, to protect the health and safety of everyone.”
Health Minister Christine Elliott said the province will be “studying very closely” the idea of increasing the current social gathering limitations this week.
A number of seasonal recreational facilities, such as golf courses, marinas and private parks, opened up over the long weekend, giving Ontarians the opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy recreational activities.
Meanwhile, the province will be providing an update on school closures and child care later this afternoon.
For more details on the province’s reopening plan, please click here.
As we gradually reopen the province, it’s never been more important to take everyday actions to reduce exposure and protect people’s health. Physical distancing, frequent hand washing and cleaning devices will continue to be crucial in Ontario’s fight against #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/6QzlXBPbyK
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) May 16, 2020