'Road map is overly cautious': Aurora Mayor calls on province to skip Step 2 in pandemic reopening

Ontario has already reached benchmarks warranting Step 3, Mrakas argues

Yorkregion.com
June 25, 2021
Lisa Queen

On the heels of Premier Doug Ford announcing Ontario will move to Step 2 of the pandemic reopening on June 30 two days ahead of schedule, Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas wants to skip straight to Step 3.

Mrakas applauds the province taking a cautious approach to ensure residents remain safe as vaccinations continue and said it’s good news Step 2 will allow personal care services such as hairdressers to reopen with protocols in place, something for which he has advocated.

"However, while I’m pleased with the progression, with the vaccination progress and reduction in hospitalizations, I feel this road map is overly cautious," he said.

"We need to be looking at moving to Step 3, as all of the province’s previously indicated requirements have been met. Moving to Step 3 is not rushing, as the entire province has met the requirements of Step 3 and as it is as restrictive as the former 'red zone', this is the proper balance and cautious approach that continues to keep everyone safe while we allow our businesses to begin to recover. The date supports this opening and the time is now to make this move.”

The province says Step 2 can happen when 70 per cent of Ontario residents have received their first vaccination and 20 per cent have gotten their second shot.

Step 3 can happen when 70- to 80-per cent of Ontario residents have received their first jab and 25 per cent are fully vaccinated and after 21 days in Step 2 have passed.

More than 76 per cent of adults have had their first shot and 29 per cent have had two doses.

Step 2 allows for:

• Outdoor social gatherings for up to 25 people;

• Indoor social gatherings for up to five people;

• Outdoor dining for up to six people per table;

• Essential and other select retail at 50 per cent capacity;

• Non-essential retail capacity at 25 per cent;

• Stores in shopping malls open, with restrictions;

• Larger indoor religious services, including weddings and funerals, at 25-per-cent capacity;

• Outdoor religious services, weddings and funerals capped at the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of 2 m;

• Overnight camps;

• Personal care services where face coverings can be worn at all times at 25-per-cent capacity;

• Outdoor fitness classes capped at the number of people who can maintain 3 m distance;

• Public libraries at 25-per-cent capacity;

• Outdoor meeting and event spaces at 25-per-cent capacity;

• Outdoor amusement and water parks at 25-per-cent capacity;

• Outdoor sports games, leagues and events at 25-per-cent capacity; and

• Outdoor cinemas, performing arts, live music events and attractions at 25-per-cent capacity.

Step 3 allows for:

• Larger indoor and outdoor social gatherings and organized public events;

• Indoor dining;

• Essential and non-essential retail with limited capacity;

• Larger indoor religious services including weddings and funerals, with capacity limits;

• Indoor meeting and event spaces;

• Indoor sports and recreational facilities;

• Indoor seated events;

• Indoor attractions and cultural amenities;

• Casino and bingo halls; and
• Other outdoor activities from Step 2 permitted to operate indoors.