Hair salons, malls, wineries, and restaurant patios will be able to reopen in Niagara this Friday June 19th.
Premier Doug Ford made the announcement today that Niagara will be entering stage two of Ontario's reopening plan.
Other communities allowed to move into stage two include Durham, Haldimand-Norfolk, Halton, Hamilton, Lambton, and York.
Toronto, Peel, and Windsor-Essex will not.
What can reopen in Stage 2?
-Outdoor dine-in services at restaurants, bars and other establishments, including patios, curbside, parking lots and adjacent properties
-Daycares, with limits on the number of children at each facility
-Select personal and personal care services, including tattoo parlours, barber shops, hair salons and beauty salon
-Shopping malls under existing restrictions, including food services reopening for take-out and outdoor dining only
-Tour and guide services, such as bike and walking, bus and boat tours, as well as tasting and tours for wineries, breweries and distilleries
-Water recreational facilities, such as outdoor splash pads and wading pools, and all swimming pools
-Beach access and additional camping at Ontario Parks
-Camping at private campgrounds
-Outdoor-only recreational facilities and training for outdoor team sports, with limits to enable physical distancing
-Drive-in and drive-through venues for theatres, concerts, animal attractions and cultural appreciation, such as art installations
-Film and television production activities, with limits to enable physical distancing
Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Tourism, Culture, and Sport Industries says she will personally be in Niagara Falls this Friday to celebrate the reopening.
"Thanks to the collective efforts of our frontline health care workers and the people in these regions to stop the spread of COVID-19, more businesses will be able to open their doors and thousands of people will be able to go back to work and put food on the table," said Premier Ford. "With the public health trends improving day by day across the province, I am hopeful all regions of Ontario will enter Stage 2 very soon. But we must remain on our guard to prevent any potential surge or secondary wave by continuing to follow the sound advice of our public health officials."
The Niagara Region released a statement shortly after the announcement:
Statement from Niagara’s 12 Mayors and Regional Chair on moving to Stage 2
Niagara’s 12 Mayors and Regional Chair offered the following statement regarding the announcement of the region moving into phase 2:
“This afternoon the Premier of Ontario announced that Niagara would be moving to Stage 2 as of this Friday at 12:01 a.m. This means many businesses and public facilities may begin to reopen, but incorporating measures to prevent the spread of infection.
This announcement means that COVID-19 in Niagara has been slowed to the point where some normal activities may resume, with the assurance that we continue to take steps to limit the spread of the virus. The decision to move Niagara into Stage 2 was made by the province based on local data around COVID-19, and included a consultation with our Medical Officer of Health.
We are pleased to see this announcement and look forward to our economy safely reopening so people can get back to work without overwhelming our health care system.
Thank you, Niagara
We want to thank everyone for their tireless efforts to combat COVID-19. It is your commitment that is allowing us to reopen our community and economy.
We know how frustrating, isolating and challenging it has been to miss your friends and loved ones. We know how hard it has been to miss a steady paycheque and to postpone or even cancel major life events.
We thank our businesses making many sacrifices and we want them to know that we are looking at all options to support them through the recovery.
We also want to thank our front-line heath care workers, Public Health professionals and essential workers. You kept us safe, fed and informed during this challenging time.
Taking the Next Steps Together
As we move into Stage 2, we want you to remember to support your local businesses. Spending your hard earned dollars at a local retailer, restaurant or attraction will make a difference as we move forward.
While the threat of COVID-19 has not disappeared, you are encouraged to resume some normal activities should you feel safe to do so. Businesses across Niagara have spent the last several months preparing and they are doing everything possible to ensure their operations are as safe as possible.
It is important to remember that while there is no way to avoid all risks, you can take steps to be safer. Remember to maintain physical distancing, wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face and remember to wear a face covering when keeping a two-metre distance is not possible. Continue to stay home if you are not feeling well and get tested should you feel it is appropriate for you.
We are starting to take steps to find our new normal and this means we cannot let our guard down. We all must work together to support each other and keep each other safe.
Remember to do your part to stay safe, Niagara. We still have a long way to go, but we are confident we will make it together.”