Coronavirus: What you can and cannot do in Ontario amid Stage 2 of reopening

On Monday, Ontario announced that a large portion of the province will enter into Stage 2 of the province’s reopening plan later in the week.

Outside of the Greater Toronto area, Hamilton, Windsor, the Golden Horseshoe and Lambton County, a whole swath of new options will be allowed to reopen on June 12.

That said, not everything will be available just yet.

“Entering Stage 2 means parts of the province will see more people back on the job and an opportunity to get back together with friends and family,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a statement. “Although this is extremely encouraging, I urge everyone to exercise caution and continue to follow public health advice as we are not out of the woods yet.”

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For a list of what was opened for Stage 1, click here.

What follows is a list of what you can and can’t do beginning with Stage 2:

What can I now do in most of Ontario on June 12?

• Visit a hair or beauty salon, barbershop, piercing service, tanning salon, tattoo studio as long as they maintain proper physical distancing protocol.
• Visit a restaurant or bar which offers outdoor dining service including patios, curbside, parking lots and adjacent properties.
• Hit shopping malls that follow current restrictions, including food services reopening for take-out and outdoor dining only.
• Go on a bus or boat tour, a guided tour or tour a winery, brewery or distillery.
• Use a splash pad or a swimming or wading pool or hit the beach at an Ontario park. Slides and climbing structures will remain closed. You can take a fitness class or a swimming lesson but physical distancing measures will remain in place.
• Camp at an Ontario park or private campground.
• Use an outdoor recreational facility for team sports (with limits on physical distancing). (Locker rooms remain closed.)
• Play paintball, mini-golf, archery or hit a go-cart track.
• Go to a drive-in or drive-thru venue for theatres, concerts, animal attractions and cultural appreciation, such as art installations.
• Film and television production activities, with limits to enable physical distancing.
• Attend a wedding or funeral, with limits on social gatherings to 10 people.
• Hire a physical trainer, party planner or a personal organizer.
• Visit museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos outdoor heritage institutions (e.g., landmarks, outdoor historic sites, botanical gardens), and other establishments.
• Attend a service at a place of worship as long as attendance is limited to 30 per cent of the building’s capacity and physical distancing measures are in place.
• Small outdoor events, such as cultural celebrations, animal shows and fundraisers will be permitted in line with gathering-size restrictions, subject to local public health requirements.
• child care centres will open with strict public health measures in place, including to limit operational capacity.

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What can’t I do in most of Ontario on June 12?

• Wrestle or box, perform martial arts or play racquetball or squash.
• Pop into a restaurant, cafe or bar for indoor sitdown service.
• Attend gatherings of more than 10 people.
• Attend a festival, sporting event or concert.
• Attend a movie theatre, theatre or casino.
• Go to an indoor driving ranges and rod and gun clubs.
• Visit an amusement park or waterpark.
• Use play structures or outdoor fitness equipment.
• Attend a large outdoor event, such as concert, large festival, parade or amusement fair.
• Hit a gym, indoor sports facility, fitness facility or studio.