Gyms, restaurants, sports facilities and more are getting ready to open their doors this morning as Ontario begins the process of gradually easing restrictions.
As of today, social gathering limits have increased to 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors.
Restaurants, bars, gyms, retailers and shopping malls can operate at 50% capacity, with sporting events, concert venues and theatres to operate at 50 per cent seated capacity or 500 people, whichever is less.
In St. Thomas, both the Joe Thornton Community Centre and Memorial Arena can operate at a maximum fan capacity of 500 people, with a proof of vaccination QR code is required to attend.
The next set of restrictions are said to be loosened on February 21st.
This would include…
- Increasing social gathering limits to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.
- Removing capacity limits in indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is required, including but not limited to restaurants, indoor sports and recreational facilities, cinemas, as well as other settings that choose to opt-in to proof of vaccination requirements.
- Permitting spectator capacity at sporting events, concert venues, and theatres at 50 per cent capacity.
- Limiting capacity in most remaining indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is not required to the number of people that can maintain two metres of physical distance.
- Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies limited to the number that can maintain two metres of physical distance, with no limit if proof of vaccination is required.
- Increasing indoor capacity limits to 25 per cent in the remaining higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, including nightclubs, wedding receptions in meeting or event spaces where there is dancing, as well as bathhouses and sex clubs.
Enhanced proof of vaccination, and other requirements would continue to apply in existing settings.
Then, effective March 14, 2022, Ontario is set to take additional steps to ease public health measures, including:
- Lifting capacity limits in all indoor public settings. Proof of vaccination will be maintained in existing settings in addition to other regular measures.
- Lifting remaining capacity limits on religious services, rites, or ceremonies.
- Increase social gathering limits to 50 people indoors with no limits for outdoor gatherings.
