Hot off the presses is the news that Ontario is moving to Stage 3 of reopening. The move will occur exactly a week from today on July 16 and in case you haven’t been keeping track, it’s all happening five days ahead of schedule.

Speaking of keeping track, with all the reopenings our province has undergone throughout the past year and a half, this new stage means that in addition to indoor dining resuming, personal grooming requiring the removal of a face covering can also take place as well as concert venues, cinemas, and theatres are permitted to operate with capacity limits among other relaxations.

A release from the Premier’s office read, “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of Ontario’s health care partners, as of July 8, 2021, over 77 per cent of the population in Ontario ages 12 and over have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and over 50 per cent have received their second dose.”

Step Three focuses on the resumption of additional indoor services with larger numbers of people and restrictions in place.

Do your part by following #PublicHealth measures and getting vaccinated.

Learn about the changes you can expect in Step Three: https://t.co/GhLpPRDDmt pic.twitter.com/m98E0Sevcd
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) July 9, 2021

A full list of what will change when we enter Stage 3 is below:

Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 100 people with limited exceptions;
Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people;
Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services permitted with physical distancing;
Indoor dining permitted with no limits on the number of patrons per table with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect;
Indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities to open subject to a maximum 50 percent capacity of the indoor space. Capacity for indoor spectators is 50 percent of the usual seating capacity or 1,000 people, whichever is less. Capacity for outdoor spectators is 75 percent of the usual seating capacity or 15,000 people, whichever is less;
Indoor meeting and event spaces permitted to operate with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect and capacity limited to not exceed 50 percent capacity or 1,000 people, (whichever is less);
Essential and non-essential retail with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres;
Personal care services, including services requiring the removal of a face covering, with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres;
Museums, galleries, historic sites, aquariums, zoos, landmarks, botanical gardens, science centres, casinos/bingo halls, amusement parks, fairs and rural exhibitions, festivals, with capacity limited to not exceed 50 percent capacity indoors and 75 percent capacity outdoors;
Concert venues, cinemas, and theatres permitted to operate at:
- up to 50 percent capacity indoors or a maximum limit of 1,000 people for seated events (whichever is less)
- up to 75 percent capacity outdoors or a maximum limit of 5,000 people for unseated events (whichever is less); and up to 75 percent capacity outdoors or a maximum of 15,000 people for events with fixed seating (whichever is less).
Real estate open houses with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres; and
Indoor food or drink establishments where dance facilities are provided, including nightclubs and restobars, permitted up to 25 percent capacity or up to a maximum limit of 250 people (whichever is less).

Health Minister Christine Elliot also said, “While this is exciting news, we most still remain vigilant and continue to follow the public health measure we know work and keep us safe. Vaccines remain our ticket out of the pandemic so if you haven’t booked your appointment yet, please do so today.”

It’s also important to note that the mask mandate for indoor public settings isn’t going anywhere due to the Delta variant and other COVID-19 strains of concern.