Ontario will allow more outdoor recreational amenities to reopen, with restrictions in place, effective Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 12:01 a.m, and a new three-step reopening plan was released on Friday, to tentatively begin June 14.
The following was included in my weekly community update, sent Friday, May 21.
You can read the full newsletter here.
- Ontario will allow more outdoor recreational amenities to reopen, with restrictions in place, effective Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.:
- This includes: golf courses, tennis courts, skateboarding parks, sports fields, BMX and skate parks, shooting ranges and archery ranges, and others, with restrictions.
- A maximum of 5 people will be permitted for outdoor gatherings.
- A new three-step reopening plan has been announced, tied to vaccination rates. The province will remain in each of the steps for at least 21 days to evaluate any impacts on key public health indicators.
Based on current trends in key health indicators, including the provincial vaccination rate, the government expects to enter Step One of this plan on the week of June 14, 2021.
Step One includes:
- Outdoor gatherings up to 10 people;
- Outdoor dining (patios) up to 4 people per table;
- Outdoor fitness classes, personal training and sports training up to 10 people;
- Essential retail at 25 per cent capacity and can sell all goods (including discount and big box);
- Non-essential retail at 15 per cent capacity;
- Retail stores in malls closed unless the stores have a street facing entrance;
- Outdoor religious services, rites and ceremonies with capacity limited to permit 2 metres’ physical distancing;
- Horse racing and motor speedways without spectators;
- Outdoor horse riding;
- Outdoor pools, splash pads and wading pools with capacity limited to permit 2 metres’ physical distancing;
- Outdoor zoos, landmarks, historic sites, and botanical gardens with capacity limits;
- Campsites, campgrounds and short-term rentals; and Ontario Parks.
Step Two will further expand outdoor activities and will resume limited indoor services with small numbers of people where face coverings are worn, including personal services. Outdoor cinema and performing arts events, outdoor sports leagues and overnight camps would be permitted in this step.
READ more of what’s included in this reopening plan here.
I know people are exhausted and frustrated, and that any news of reopening is welcome right now. But I am particularly concerned that children, families and schools seem to have been left out of the plan, and not prioritized. Schools should be the top priority for re-opening.
All week, I have been pushing the government to be clear with families about their intentions for schools, and their plans to make them safe. But we’re not seeing that today. It's yet another example of this government's failure to centre the needs of children and youth in our pandemic response and recovery plan - and one of the major reasons why I moved new legislation this week to ensure that we do (more on that here).
I also want to thank everyone who joined our campaign to reopen safe outdoor activities and amenities. Those things are reopening this weekend, and that’s a victory for all of us.