Ontario Is Officially Moving Into Step Three A Few Days Earlier Than Expected

It's official —step three of Ontario's reopening plan is beginning sooner than planned. The province confirmed on Friday that the third and final step of the plan will start on Friday, July 16, five days ahead of schedule.

As of this date, indoor dining will be permitted to reopen to any number of people, as long as the tables are spaced apart. Capacity limits at personal care services like hair salons is now being expanded to the "number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres."

Indoor sports facilities and gyms can open at 50% capacity. For sporting events, up to 15,000 spectators are permitted outdoors and 1,000 people indoors. Indoor attractions like museums, galleries, casinos, amusement parks, festivals, and more can operate at 50% indoors and 75% outdoors.

Plus, nightclubs and other indoor places for drinks and dancing can reopen at 25% capacity, but only at a maximum of 250 people. Indoor venues like concert halls can open at 50% indoors or a maximum of 1,000 people for seated events.

The province states that masks and face coverings, as well as physical distancing guidelines, are still required in indoor spaces during this step. "The pandemic is not over and we must all remain vigilant and continue following the measures and advice in place, as the Delta variant continues to pose a threat to public health," said Dr. Kieran Moore in the statement.

Ontario will remain in step three for at least 21 days and until 75% of residents aged 12 and over are fully vaccinated and with no public health unit having less than 70% of their population vaccinated with both doses.