Curbside pickup for retail allowed, with nurseries, hardware stores to open
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, May 11, 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 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, and on Wednesday extended its emergency orders until May 19.
Stage 1 of the reopening framework 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- to four-week decrease in new cases.
Ontario reported 412 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and 68 more deaths.
Dr. David Williams said the province has seen various ups and downs since late April, but is currently on four- or five-day 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.”
John Sartzetakis, who owns Mimico Home Hardware in Toronto, said he has mixed feelings about opening his shop back up to customers.
“The whole situation is very, very stressful,” he said.
His store has been open during the pandemic, filling online orders for curbside pickup, but he said there is some fear dealing with the public.
Tyler Briggs, store manager at a Sheridan Nurseries location in Mississauga, Ont., greeted the news of a full opening with both relief and trepidation.
He’s glad to know garden centres can reopen in time for the traditionally lucrative Mother’s Day weekend, but said staff will have to work hard to get the store ready to receive customers.
Employees will spend the next several days widening aisles, establishing sanitization protocols, erecting signs and setting up merchandise displays in ways that promote physical distancing.
“Everyone is extremely excited to see some new faces and our guests back in the store, but we have to make sure safety is the top priority for both our guests and our staff,” Briggs said.
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 offpeak rates to be charged all day had been set to expire this week.
The Canadian Press