Here’s what’s open at 50% capacity in Ontario on January 31 as restrictions facilitate | The Canadian News

The Ontario government is scaling down COVID-19 restrictions on many businesses in the first phase of a 21-day interval reopening plan that goes into effect Monday.

As of 12:01 a.m. on Monday, January 31, these institutions will have a 50 percent capacity limit, some of which were previously closed:

• Indoor meals at restaurants, bars and other food or beverage establishments without dance facilities.
• Retailers (including grocery stores and pharmacies).
• Shopping malls.
• Non-spectator areas of sports and leisure fitness facilities, including gyms.
• Cinemas.
• Meeting and event spaces.
• Recreational facilities and amusement parks, including water parks.
• Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos and similar attractions.
• Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments.
• Religious services, rites or ceremonies.

In addition, the limits for social gatherings will increase to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

Meetings with spectators, such as sporting events, concerts or theaters, will be limited to either 500 people or 50 percent seating capacity, whichever is less, officials said.

Proof of vaccination – the version with the scannable QR code – and other requirements such as masking will still apply, the government said.

Further adjustments were made last week in preparation for reopening since the plan was released on January 20th. The government said cinemas / movie theaters could sell food and beverages at franchise stalls.

They also said restaurants would no longer have to do contact tracking for customers.

Earlier this month on January 5, the province imposed additional restrictions on businesses amid a rise in Omicron cases. This included additional capacity constraints, a ban on indoor dining and the closure of various types of facilities, including gyms, theaters and museums. For retailers, shopping malls and religious services, there is no change to the already existing 50 percent capacity introduced in early January.

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Monday 21 February – next phase of reopening

Then, in three weeks, on Monday, February 21, the province said it planned to facilitate more public health measures, including:

• The limits for social gatherings increase to 25 people indoors, 100 people outdoors.
• The removal of capacity constraints in indoor public environments where proof of vaccination is required.
• Allow spectator capacity at sporting events, concert venues and theaters at 50 percent capacity.
• Limit capacity in most remaining indoor public environments where proof of vaccination is not required to the number of people who can maintain two meters of physical distance.
• Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies will be limited to the number that can maintain two meters of physical distance, with no restriction if proof of vaccination is required.
• Increasing indoor capacity is limited to 25 percent in the remaining higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, including nightclubs, wedding receptions in meeting or ballroom dancing venues, as well as bathhouses and sex clubs.

Proof of vaccination – the version with the scannable QR code – and other requirements such as masking will still apply, the government said.

Monday 14 March – next phase of reopening

In another three-week interval on Monday, March 14, Ontario said it plans to lift capacity constraints in all indoor public environments.

However, proof of vaccination will remain in place.

The limits for social gatherings will also increase to 50 people indoors and there will be no restrictions for outdoor gatherings.

It will also lift the remaining capacity constraints on religious services, rites or ceremonies.

The province said three weeks between each phase would enable it to monitor trends in public health.