Emergency brake lifted: here's what can open today

Ontario has officially entered the first step of the three-step “Roadmap to Reopen” unveiled by the government last month. 

That means the Ontario government is releasing the province-wide emergency break to lift restrictions. 

The changes, effective this morning at 12:01 a.m.  include: 

• Restaurant patios can welcome customers again with up to four people per table. 
  • Indoor dining is not permitted until the third step in the plan.
• You can have an outdoor gathering of up to 10 people with physical distancing and mask use in place. The gathering is not limited to your household members. 
• All non-essential retail stores that were closed during the emergency brake can reopen at 15 per cent of the building’s capacity. 
• Essential retail stores can have up to 25 per cent of the building’s capacity indoors at a time. 
• Religious services, rites, and ceremonies are permitted 15 per cent of the building capacity indoors and the outdoor capacity is limited to how many people can gather in the space while maintaining a two-metre distance from each other. 
• Day camps can resume.
• Outdoor pools and wading pools can open.
• Overnight camping resumes 
• Outdoor sports training, fitness classes and personal training in groups of up to 10 people is permitted. No games or team practices are allowed. 
• Outdoor horse racing and motor speedways can operate, but spectators are not permitted.
• Masks are still required indoors in public spaces, and on patios except while you are eating or drinking. 

According to the provincial government, Ontario will stay in step one of the roadmap for at least 21 days before moving to step two where more restrictions will be lifted. 

For a full breakdown of the three-step roadmap, click here.