Despite warnings from the Science Advisory Table, Ontario will go ahead with stage 3 earlier than expected.
The province will allow indoor dining, the reopening of gyms, no capacity limits for outdoor dining, movie theatres, museums and zoo’s will be permitted to open.
Ontario has been ahead of the vaccine rollout to allow reopening early based on their own guidelines.
Over 50 percent of Ontario adults are fully vaccinated from COVID-19. Some officials want a full vaccine rate of 75 percent before considering entering stage 3 of the reopening plan.
The changes as of this Monday, July 16, 2021 include:
- Retailers allowed as many customers as they can safely physically distance two meters apart
- Cinemas, amusement parks and indoor fitness allowed at 50 percent capacity
- Social gathering will be permitted at 25 people indoors or 100 outdoors
- Nightclubs and restaurants with dance floors will be restricted to 25 percent capacity up to 250 people
- Professional sports venues will be allowed up to 15,000 spectators outdoors or 75 percent of capacity (which ever is lower)
- Indoor sports venues will be permitted 1,000 spectators or half of capacity (which ever is lower)
- All sports activities with contact can resume
- Personal care will be able to resume services that require removal of masks
- Places of worship will be allowed to admit as many people as can be physically distanced 2 meters between then.
- Museums, science centres and aquariums can allow up to 50 percent of their capacity
- Casinos can reopen at 50 percent capacity
Masks must still be worn in locations that were required in Step 2.
The Province will remain in Stage 3 for at least 21 days or until 80 percent of residents 12 and above have received 1 dose and 75 percent have received both doses and considered fully vaccinated.