Gyms, restaurants, cinemas can reopen as Ontario enters Step 3 of reopening

Public health restrictions on businesses and gatherings are rolling back further in Ontario today.

Step 3 of the province’s reopening plan allows gyms, cinemas, theatres, museums and other venues to reopen for indoor service.

Dining inside restaurants is also allowed and night clubs can reopen with capacity limits.

Social gatherings of up to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors are permitted.

The province is entering Step 3 of the reopening plan a few days earlier than scheduled based on high COVID-19 vaccination rates and other positive public health trends.

The changes took effect at 12:01 a.m., with rules around masks and physical distancing still in place.

Ontario set to move to Step 3 of reopening on July 16

The majority of remaining restrictions in Ontario will be lifted as soon as 21 days after Step 3, the province has said.

But that will only happen once 75 per cent of people 12 and older have been fully vaccinated and every public health unit has fully vaccinated at least 70 per cent of eligible residents.