Some good news for select business owners in northwestern Ontario.
On Friday, the province is entering Stage 2 in reopening plans in the Northwestern Health Unit and Thunder Bay District Health Unit catchment areas.
Public and private gatherings will be expanded from 5 to 10.
Churches will be allowed to open at 30% capacity.
Here is a list of what will be allowed to open on Friday.
-Outdoor dine-in services at restaurants, bars and other establishments, including patios, curbside, parking lots and adjacent properties;
-Select personal and personal care services with the proper health and safety measures in place, including tattoo parlours, barber shops, hair salons and beauty salons;
-Shopping malls under existing restrictions, including food services reopening for take-out and outdoor dining only;
-Tour and guide services, such as bike and walking, bus and boat tours, as well as tasting and tours for wineries, breweries and distilleries;
-Water recreational facilities such as outdoor splash pads and wading pools, and all swimming pools;
-Beach access and additional camping at Ontario Parks;
-Camping at private campgrounds;
-Outdoor-only recreational facilities and training for outdoor team sports, with limits to enable physical distancing;
-Drive-in and drive-through venues for theatres, concerts, animal attractions and cultural appreciation, such as art installations;
-Film and television production activities, with limits to enable physical distancing; and
-Weddings and funerals, with limits on social gatherings to 10 people.
Premier Doug Ford says an update on childcare centre reopening’s will be provided on Tuesday.
Ford says “Entering Stage 2 means parts of the province will see more people back on the job and an opportunity to get back together with friends and family. Although this is extremely encouraging, I urge everyone to exercise caution and continue to follow public health advice as we are not out of the woods yet.”
Minister of Health Christine Elliott says “As a result of efforts of all Ontarians to stop the spread of COVID-19, many regions have met the criteria to move into the next stage of our reopening plan, including a decrease in new daily cases and sufficient hospital capacity in the event of any spikes in cases or outbreaks.”
Health officials in Ontario recorded 243 new cases of COVID-19 Monday, the lowest number of new infections since late March.
Public health unit regions allowed to move into Stage 2 on Friday, June 12 at 12:01 a.m. include:
- Algoma Public Health
- Brant County Health Unit
- Chatham-Kent Public Health
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit
- Grey Bruce Health Unit
- Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
- Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
- Huron Perth Public Health
- Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health
- Leeds Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit
- Middlesex-London Health Unit
- North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
- Northwestern Health Unit
- Ottawa Public Health
- Peterborough Public Health
- Porcupine Health Unit
- Public Health Sudbury & Districts
- Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services
- Renfrew County and District Health Unit
- Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit
- Southwestern Public Health
- Thunder Bay District Health Unit
- Timiskaming Health Unit
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
