Ontario will let more businesses reopen, gradually lift stay-at-home orders
Non-essential retailers in lockdown zones can reopen with 25% capacity, province says.
Non-essential retailers in Ontario will be allowed to reopen at limited capacity, the provincial government said Monday, as three public health units are set to see COVID-19 restrictions loosened.
Premier Doug Ford announced the changes this afternoon as part of his government's plan to gradually move all of Ontario's 34 public health units back to a colour-coded reopening framework.
Ontario has been in a provincewide "lockdown" since Dec. 26, and a stay-at-home order was added four weeks ago.
"Today we're seeing some sunlight break through the clouds," Ford said. "My friends, the measures are working. Staying home is saving lives."
The following public health units will move into the green category — the least stringent in terms of COVID-19 restrictions — on Wednesday:
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health
Renfrew County and District Health Unit
The stay-at-home order will be lifted then in those health units as well.
The order will remain in place in the rest of Ontario until Feb. 16, when it could be lifted in 28 more public health units depending upon COVID-19 trends at the time, the government said.
In Toronto and Peel and York regions, however, the order is set to stay in effect until at least Feb. 22.
