Province ushering in Step 3 Friday

PROVINCIAL — Five days earlier than expected, Ontario will enter Step 3 on the Road to Reopen on Friday, July 16.

That announcement was made last Friday and was met with cheers and relief from small businesses across the province.

The latest step allows indoor dining with no capacity limits, provided tables are spaced six feet apart. This is a welcomed step for the hospitality industry.

Gyms can now open with a 50 per cent capacity limit and for those inclined to gamble, bingo halls and casinos can now open as well.

Retail is now allowed to open without capacity limits and social gatherings are limited to 100 people outdoors and 25 people indoors.

The move comes well ahead of when it was originally expected, which would have fallen around August 2.

When Step 1 and 2 were ushered in early, it was expected that Step 3 would take effect around July 21, but that has now been moved up.

The province gives credit to those who stepped up and got vaccinated, allowing the vaccination goals to be met early and the hospitalization numbers to plummet to acceptable levels.

Visit ontario.ca for up-to-date information.