Ontario officially enters Step 3 of reopening plan

As of midnight on July 16, Ontario has officially entered Step 3 of their COVID-19 economic reopening plan, meaning indoor dining and gyms will reopen and capacity limits increase for multiple sectors.

Indoor dining is reopened with no capacity limits, just distancing between tables while gyms, movie theatres, museums and zoos will be at 50 per cent capacity.

Outdoor non-seated events, like concerts, theaters and sports facilities, will be allowed to have up to 5,000 people while seated events will be allowed to have 15,000 attendees. There will be no restrictions on retail stores or personal care services.

The province will remain in Step 3 for at least 21 days and until 80 per cent of the eligible population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 75 per cent are fully vaccinated, with no public health unit having less than 70 per cent of their population fully vaccinated.

At that time if public health indicators remain stable, the vast majority of public health and workplace safety measures will be lifted including capacity limits and limits on social gatherings.

Under Step 3, Indoor event capacity will be at 50 per cent to a maximum of 1,000 people.

Gatherings and organized public events can now be up to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. For religious services and ceremonies, there will be no limit, but social distancing and other measures will be in effect.

Cinemas, museums, aquariums, zoos, landmarks, botanical gardens, science centres, casinos, bingo halls, amusement parks, fairs, rural exhibitions, festivals will have a capacity of 50 per cent indoors and 75 per cent outdoors.

Full details of Step 3 can be seen below:

The province entered Step 3, five days earlier than originally planned. Ontario entered Step 2 early as well on June 30, two days earlier than scheduled, apart from the Waterloo region entered Step 2 on Monday.