Ontario unveils a ‘Roadmap to Reopen’

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: ONTARIO GOVERNMENT
Ontario's new three-step plan to reopen the province.

Golf, tennis, and other outdoor activities will be the first things to resume as early as this weekend.

On May 20, the Ontario government announced a new three-phase plan to begin gradually reopening the economy.

Firstly, the province plans to reopen outdoor activities beginning as early as this Saturday, with plans to gradually roll out three phases over the course of June, July, and August.

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When 60 percent of adults have one dose of a vaccine, larger outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed, as well as outdoor dining for up to four people per table.

Essential retail will be capped at 25 percent with non-essential retail to be maxed at 15 percent.

Under this step, day camps, campsites and campgrounds, including Ontario Parks will be allowed to continue.

Once the province reaches the 70 percent vaccination threshold, with 20 percent fully vaccinated, indoor gatherings will be able to resume as outdoor activities expand.

This will also see an increase in the number of people allowed to gather outdoors to 25, with up to five being allowed inside. Essential retail will have a maximum capacity of 50 percent and non-essential retail will be capped at half of that.

Outdoor cinemas, performance arts, and live performances will also get the green light during this phase.

Finally, once the province is able to vaccinate roughly 70-80 percent of the population with one shot and 25 percent with both doses, restrictions will be lifted further. Here, the province will allow for large outdoor and indoor gatherings, indoor dining, and essential and non-essential retail opening at limited capacity.

This will also see the beginning of larger indoor religious services, recreational facilities, indoor seated events, and the reopening of casinos, among other businesses.

Starting on Saturday, golf courses, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, and many other outdoor recreational activities will be allowed to resume.

The overall plan is to begin by focussing on reopening outdoor activities in phase one, expanding gathering sizes in phase two, and eventually easing restrictions on indoor activities in phase three.

The plan is expected to slowly unroll after the province lifts its stay-at-home order on June 2. At this time, officials have not released any plans to reopen in-person learning.