Gradual reopening
Government extends emergency orders for another two weeks
Ontario allowing curbside pickup for retail stores, reopening of garden centres, hardware shops
TORONTO—Ontario announced small steps Wednesday toward reopening the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic as the growth in new cases slows, including allowing retail stores to open for curbside pickup.
Premier Doug Ford said with the numbers heading in the right direction, the government has been working around the clock to make sure restrictions can be lifted safely.
“Any reopening of our economy will be gradual, measured and safe,” he said. “When it comes to reopening our economy, I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
All retail stores with a street entrance will be allowed to open Monday to provide curbside pickup and delivery. Garden centres and nurseries, which had been cleared to open this Monday for curbside pickup or delivery only, will be allowed to open their stores Friday. Hardware stores and safety supply stores can do the same as of Saturday.
Businesses that can now open their doors to customers will have to follow the same guidelines as grocery stores and pharmacies currently do, including promoting physical distancing and frequent handwashing, sanitizing surfaces, installing physical barriers, staggering shifts, and offering contactless payment.
The province is not yet at the point of entering the first stage of its reopening framework.
Stage 1 would see workplaces that can modify operations reopen, the opening of parks, allowing for more people at certain events such as funerals, and having hospitals resume some non-urgent surgeries.
Before that can happen, the chief medical officer of health is looking for a consistent, two-tofour-week decrease in the number of new cases.
Ontario reported 412 new cases of COVID-19 and 68 more deaths Wednesday.
Dr. David Williams said the province has seen various ups and downs since late April, but is currently on day four or five of a good downward run.
“All things are trending in the right direction,” he said. “We’re in a very slow plateau here, so we hope to get even further progression.”
The province also renewed lower electricity rates for residential consumers, farms and small businesses to the end of the month. An initial order from March for off-peak rates to be charged all day had been set to expire this week.
The emergency orders, which were set to expire Wednesday, have now been extended for another two weeks, to May 19.
They also include a prohibition of public gatherings of more than five people, the closure of bars and restaurants except for takeout and delivery, libraries, theatres and concert venues, outdoor amenities such as playgrounds, and child care centres.
As of Wednesday, Ontario had seen 18,722 cases of COVID-19, including 1,429 deaths and 13,222 ones that have been resolved — more than 70 per cent of all cases.