Another step in Ontario’s Roadmap to Reopen plan.
The next step became official as of 12:01 a.m. Friday with the province further lifting restrictions on dining as well as permitting concert venues, cinemas and theatres to open up.
Ontario Step 3 Measures
- 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 per cent capacity of the indoor space. Capacity for indoor spectators is 50 per cent of the usual seating capacity or 1,000 people, whichever is less. Capacity for outdoor spectators is 75 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent capacity indoors and 75 per cent capacity outdoors
- Concert venues, cinemas, and theatres permitted to operate up to 50 per cent indoors or a maximum limit of 1,000 for seated events (whichever is less), up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors or a maximum limit of 5,000 people for unseated events (whichever is less) and no more than 75 per cent 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
- Indoor food or drink establishments where dance facilities are provided, including nightclubs, permitted up to 25 per cent capacity or up to a maximum limit of 250 people (whichever is less)
Thunder Bay Step 3
- Current River Arena (summer ice) reopens July 19
- Port Arthur Arena reopens September 11
- Neebing, Grandview, Delaney Arenas reopen September 26
- The Fort William Gardens remains closed for facility improvements until early October
- Vale and Jumbo Gardens Community Centres reopen July 16
- West Arthur Community Centre reopens early September
- Volunteer Pool reopens July 19 with limited hours and activities (include lengths, lessons, and lifeguard/instructor programs)
- The Canada Games Complex reopens July 26, with limited hours and activities (lengths, lessons, and limited gym/fitness)
- Churchill Pool remains closed for maintenance until early October
- In-person registered youth inclusion programs to resume in August
- Thunder Bay 55 Plus Centre reopens August 3 (amenities include the River Street Café, billiard room and library)
- Seniors programs at the 55 Plus Centre and West Arthur Community Centre to resume September 13
- The Centennial Botanical Conservatory reopens July 21
- Restrictions on outdoor cemetery gatherings have been lifted while physical distancing of two metres is still required
- The Victoriaville Centre and McKellar Mall will be expanding access to the mall through all public entrance doorways
- Eat-in dining will be available within the food court while respecting physical distancing
- Pioneer Ridge, along with all Long-term Care Homes in the province, will be implementing recent directives related to reopening effective July 16
Amenities Currently Open
Marina and Boat launches
Golf Courses
Skate parks
Sports Fields
Tennis Courts & Tennis Centre
Basketball courts
Trowbridge and Chippewa Campgrounds
Chapples Golf Course outdoor patio
Outdoor Fitness at select Community Centres
County Park, Franklin Street, Prince Arthur’s Landing and North End Park splash pads
Heath Park and Art Widnall Outdoor pools
Sandy Beach (Chippewa) and Boulevard Lake Beach
Summer Camps & Playgrounds Program
The Doctors
Both Medical Officers of Health feel good about loosening restrictions.
The Northwestern Health Unit’s Dr. Kit Young Hoon encourages you to enjoy Step 3 but to do so in a safe way.
“The safest activities include things like outdoor activities with members of your household, small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated people and being close to a fully vaccinated person,” remarked Young Hoon.
Thunder Bay’s Dr. Janet DeMille recommends further mask usage, especially with concerns of the Lambda or Delta variant.
“We’re doing really well right now and I would hate to see (the Delta variant) spread in our area and masking is one of the ways that we can reduce the risk of it spreading,” added DeMille.
Entering Friday the Thunder Bay District Health has just one active case while there are none in the Northwestern Health Unit.
With files from Sarah McCarthy and Kevin Jeffrey
