Ontario will allow some businesses, many of them seasonal, to start up again Monday
Permission comes with requirement that owners comply with safety rules
TORONTO—Garden centres, landscaping companies and auto dealerships were among a number of seasonal businesses Premier Doug Ford said would be allowed to reopen on Monday as Ontario took further steps towards restarting its economy.
The decision was based on the advice of the province’s chief medical officer of health, Ford said Friday.
“We’re at an important starting point and we should take today as a sign,” he said. “Today’s news shows us that if we stay the course, if we stay vigilant and take the measured approach, we can keep moving in the right direction.”
All of the companies reopening on Monday, which also include essential construction projects, will have to follow strict health and safety rules, the premier said. Marinas and golf courses will also be allowed to prepare to reopen, he said.
The Progressive Conservative government ordered most businesses to close in late March in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.
While other provinces have released plans with specific timelines for reopening in recent days, Friday’s announcement was the first time Ontario had provided a concrete date for any non-essential businesses to open their doors.
Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli said the province is moving ahead cautiously to prevent jeopardizing progress and keep the rate of COVID-19 infection down.
“Easing the unprecedented restrictions our government put in place to save lives and stop the spread will be a complicated and difficult task,” he said. “But Ontario’s business community has risen to every challenge presented by COVID-19.”
Ford called the announcement a much-needed “glimmer of hope” that he believes in some cases will help the mental health of people across the province.
“In the coming days and weeks, I’m hopeful that we’ll meet more of our health targets,” he said. “I’m very optimistic that in the near future we’ll be able to announce that additional businesses will be able to open up safely. People are eager to get back to work, I know that.”
The province’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. David Williams, said while some businesses are reopening, he does not think Ontario has moved out of the pandemic into the first phase of the province’s economic recovery plan.