Reopening Ontario

Learn about the Roadmap to Reopen, the province’s three-step plan to safely and gradually lift public health measures based on ongoing progress of provincewide vaccination rates and improvements of key public health and health care indicators.

Pausing the exit from the Roadmap to Reopen

In response to evolving data around the Delta variant and based on the recent experiences of other jurisdictions, the government, in consultation with Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, is pausing the exit from the Roadmap to Reopen.

The Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts will continue to monitor the data to determine when it is safe to exit the Roadmap and lift the majority of public health and workplace safety measures currently in place.

Overview

The Roadmap to Reopen is a three-step plan to safely and cautiously reopen the province and gradually lift public health measures.

The plan is based on:

the provincewide vaccination rate
improvements in key public health and health care indicators

In Step Three of the roadmap, we must all continue to follow the public health measures, advice and restrictions.

Guiding principles

Step One: An initial focus on resuming outdoor activities with smaller crowds where the risk of transmission is lower, and permitting limited indoor settings with restrictions.

Step Two: Further expanding outdoor activities and resuming limited indoor services with small numbers of people and with face coverings being worn.

Step Three: Expanding access to indoor settings, with restrictions, including where there are larger numbers of people and where face coverings can’t always be worn.

Exiting the Roadmap: The majority of public health measures will be lifted. A small number of measures will remain in place.

Moving through the steps

If the province has met the following vaccination thresholds, and there are continued improvements in other key public health and health system indicators, the province may move to the next step of the roadmap:

Step One: 60% of adults vaccinated with one dose
Step Two: 70% of adults vaccinated with one dose and 20% vaccinated with two doses
Step Three: 70 to 80% of adults vaccinated with one dose and 25% vaccinated with two doses

Exiting the roadmap

Roadmap to reopen – key highlights

Vaccination rate
plus key public health and health care indicators

Step 1

60%

Adults with one dose

Permit with restrictions

Outdoor spaces begin reopening, limited indoor settings with restrictions

Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 10 people
Outdoor dining for up to 4 people per table
Essential retail capacity at 25%
Non-essential retail capacity at 15%
Religious services, rites and ceremonies indoors at 15% capacity and outdoors with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of 2 metres
Outdoor sports training (no games or practices), fitness classes and personal training up to 10 people
Day camps
Overnight camping at campgrounds and campsites, including Ontario Parks and short-term rentals
Outdoor horse racing and motor speedways without spectators
Outdoor pools and wading pools

+21 days before next stage

Vaccination rate
plus key public health and health care indicators

Step 2

70%

Adults with one dose
20% Fully vaccinated

Permit with restrictions

Open indoors with small numbers and face coverings and expand outdoors

Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 25 people
Indoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 5 people
Outdoor dining for up to 6 people per table
Essential and other select retail permitted at 50% capacity
Non-essential retail capacity at 25%
Stores in shopping malls open, with restrictions
Larger indoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services at 25% capacity
Outdoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services, capped at the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres
Overnight camps
Personal care services where face coverings can be worn at all times at 25% capacity
Outdoor fitness classes are capped at the number of people who can maintain 3 metres of distance
Public libraries permitted at 25% capacity
Outdoor meeting and event spaces at 25% capacity
Outdoor amusement and water parks at 25% capacity
Outdoor sports games, leagues and events at 25% capacity
Outdoor cinemas, performing arts, live music events and attractions at 25% capacity
Outdoor horse racing and motor speedways at 25% capacity

Vaccination rate
plus key public health and health care indicators

Step 3

70-80%

Adults with one dose
25% Fully vaccinated

Permit with restrictions

Additional indoor services with larger numbers of people and restrictions in place

Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 100 people
Indoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 25 people
Indoor dining with no limits to the number of patrons per table
Retail with capacity limited to ensure physical distancing
Indoor religious services, rites or ceremony gatherings with physical distancing
Indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities with capacity limits
Personal care services with capacity limited to ensure physical distancing
Museums, casinos and bingo halls with capacity limits
Cinemas, concert, theatres, and other performing arts venues with capacity limits

Moving beyond the roadmap

When Ontario exits the Roadmap to Reopen, the majority of public health measures in effect under Step Three will be lifted. This includes, but is not limited to:

removing capacity limits in all sectors
removing limits for social gatherings and organized public events
removing requirements such as active screening of patrons and workers

To minimize the risk of covid 19, a small number of measures will remain in place. These measures include, but are not limited to the following:

individuals must wear face coverings in indoor public settings, such as retail settings and workplaces, with limited exemptions
passive screening requirements - businesses and organizations must post signs at all entrances so individuals can screen themselves for COVID-19 before they enter
businesses or organizations must collect patron contact information in settings where it is currently required in Step Three to support case and contact management
businesses or organizations must comply with the advice, recommendations and instructions of public health officials
day camps and overnight camps must continue to operate in a manner consistent with safety guidance from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (PDF)
businesses must have a safety plan that outlines how they will meet public health and workplace safety measures

All employers must continue to meet their legal duty under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of workers.

Read Schedules 4 and 5 in O. Reg. 364/20 for the public health and workplace safety measures under the Reopening Ontario Act that will need to be followed when the province exits the Roadmap.

The Chief Medical Officer of Health and health experts will continue to review data and provide advice to the government on the appropriate and effective measures that are needed to protect the health of Ontarians.

Roadmap to Reopen at a glance

This is a high-level overview of what can reopen in each step.

Read our public health measures, advice and restrictions for a more detailed summary of what can open in Step Three. For a complete list of public health and workplace safety measures and restrictions in Step Three, refer to O. Reg. 364/20.

Gatherings

Step One

Maximum 10 people for outdoor gatherings

Outdoor end-of-school-year celebration ceremonies held by a school or private school are exempt from outdoor gathering limits, with restrictions

Retirement homes are exempt from gathering limits

Step Two

Maximum 25 people for outdoor gatherings

Maximum 5 people for indoor gatherings

Retirement homes are exempt from gathering limits

Step Three

Maximum 100 people for outdoor gatherings

Maximum 25 people for indoor gatherings

Retirement homes are exempt from gathering limits

Religious services, rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services (does not apply to receptions)

Step One

Indoor permitted at 15% capacity of the room

Outdoor permitted with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of 2 metres

Step Two

Indoor permitted at 25% capacity of the room

Outdoor permitted with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of 2 metres

Step Three

Indoor and outdoor permitted with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of 2 metres

Retail

Step One

Essential and select retail at 25% capacity and can sell all goods (including discount and big box)

Non-essential retail at 15% capacity

Retail stores in malls closed unless the stores have a street facing entrance

Restrictions on shopping malls

Step Two

Essential retail at 50% capacity

Non-essential retail at 25% capacity

Stores in shopping malls open

Step Three

Essential and non-essential retail open with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of 2 metres

Liquor stores

Step One

Open at 25% capacity

Step Two

Open at 50% capacity

Step Three

Open with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of 2 metres

Restaurants and bars

Step One

Outdoor dining with 4 people per table from different households and other restrictions

Step Two

Outdoor dining with 6 people per table and other restrictions

Karaoke permitted with restrictions (outdoor only)

Step Three

Indoor and outdoor dining with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of 2 metres and other restrictions

No limits on the number of people per table

Buffets permitted

Food or drink establishments with dance facilities

Step One

Closed

Step Two

Closed

Step Three

Indoor capacity limited to the number of people who can maintain a physical distance of two metres, with a maximum capacity of 25% indoors or 250 people (whichever is less)

Outdoor capacity limited to 75% or 5,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions

Personal care services

Step One

Closed

Sensory deprivation pods permitted when prescribed or administered by a regulated health professional, with restrictions

Step Two

Open at 25% capacity

Appointment required

Services that require the removal of a face covering not permitted

Step Three

Open, including services that require the removal of a face covering, with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of 2 metres and other restrictions

Sports and recreational fitness facilities

Step One

Outdoor fitness classes, outdoor sports training (no games or practices) and outdoor personal training, with 10 patrons maximum

Closed for indoor use except for high-performance athletes and day camps

Step Two

Outdoor sports leagues open

Training for professional or amateur athletes and/or competitions

Closed for indoor use except for high-performance athletes and day or overnight camps

Step Three

Indoor open at 50% capacity, with spectators permitted at a maximum capacity of 50% or 1,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions

Outdoor open. For unseated events, spectators permitted at a maximum capacity of 75% or 5,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions. For events with fixed seating, spectators permitted at a maximum capacity of 75% or 15,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions

Personal fitness and training

Step One

Outdoor fitness classes – 10 people maximum, 3 metres distance

Outdoor personal training – 10 people maximum, 3 metres distance

Step One

Closed with exceptions for certain purposes including social services, government operations, court services, in-person examinations for select professions (subject to conditions)

Step Two

Outdoor spaces open at 25% capacity and other restrictions

Indoor meeting and event spaces closed, with exceptions for certain purposes, including for viewing for potential booking of a future event

Step Three

Indoor open at 50% capacity or 1,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions

Outdoor open at 75% capacity or 5,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions

Day camps

Overnight camps

Step One

Closed

Step Two

Open based on guidance from the Chief Medical Officer of Health (PDF)

Step Three

Open based on guidance from the Chief Medical Officer of Health (PDF)

Commercial film and TV production

Step One

Open with no audience, no more than 50 performers on set, and other restrictions

Step Two

Open with no audience, and other restrictions

Step Three

Open with studio audiences at 50% capacity or 1,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions

Performing arts

Step One

Outdoor open for rehearsing or performing a recorded or broadcasted event – 10 people maximum, spectators not permitted

Step Two

Indoor closed, permitted only for the purpose of rehearsing or performing a recorded or broadcasted event – spectators not permitted

Outdoor open, including live music, with spectator capacity at 25% and other restrictions

Step Three

Indoor open at a maximum capacity of 50% or 1,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions

Cinemas

Step One

Drive-in open

Step Two

Indoor closed

Outdoor open with spectator capacity at 25% and other restrictions

Step Three

Indoor open at a maximum capacity of 50% or 1,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions

Outdoor open. For unseated events, spectators at a maximum capacity of 75% or 5,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions. For events with fixed seating, spectators at a maximum capacity of 75% or 15,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions

Step One

Open

Indoor pools, communal steam rooms, saunas or indoor whirlpools, indoor fitness centres, or other indoor recreational facilities closed

Step Two

Open

Indoor pools, communal steam rooms, saunas or indoor whirlpools, indoor fitness centres, or other indoor recreational facilities closed

Step Three

Open

Indoor pools, communal steam rooms, saunas or indoor whirlpools, indoor fitness centres, or other indoor recreational facilities open with restrictions

Hotels, motels, lodges, resorts and other shared rental accommodation

Step One

Open. Indoor pools, communal steam rooms, saunas or indoor whirlpools, indoor fitness centres, or other indoor recreational facilities closed

Step Two

Open. Indoor pools, communal steam rooms, saunas or indoor whirlpools, indoor fitness centres, or other indoor recreational facilities closed

Step Three

Open. Indoor pools, communal steam rooms, saunas or whirlpools, indoor fitness centres, or other indoor recreational facilities open with restrictions

Public libraries

Step One

Curbside pickup for materials

Access to computers, photocopiers, and similar services permitted

Step Two

Open with 25% capacity and other restrictions

Step Three

Open, with capacity limited to permit physical distancing of 2 metres and other restrictions

Museums and attractions

Step One

Outdoor zoos, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens, and similar outdoor attractions open with capacity limited to 15% for ticketed areas and other restrictions

Step Two

Outdoor zoos, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens, and similar outdoor attractions open with capacity limited to 25% for ticketed areas and other restrictions

Outdoor amusement parks and waterparks open with 25% capacity and other restrictions, including on rides

Step Three

Zoos, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens, and similar outdoor attractions open with capacity limited to 50% for ticketed areas indoors and 75% for ticketed areas outdoors and other restrictions

Amusement parks and waterparks open at 50% capacity indoors and 75% capacity outdoors and with other restrictions, including on rides

Fairs and rural exhibitions

Step One

Closed

Step Two

Outdoor open at 25% capacity and other restrictions

Step Three

Open at 50% capacity indoors and 75% capacity outdoors and with other restrictions, including on rides

Teaching and instruction (for example, recreational classes and lessons)

Step One

Outdoor open, 10 patrons maximum, 2 metres physical distancing and other restrictions

Step Two

Outdoor open, with distancing and other restrictions

Step Three

Indoor open with a maximum capacity of 50% or 1,000 people (whichever is less) and other restrictions

Outdoor open with a maximum capacity of 75% or 15,000 (whichever is less) and other restrictions

Tour and guide services

Marinas and boating clubs

Health and safety training

Step One

Indoor: 10 person limit

Outdoor: 10 person limit

Physical distance of at least two metres from every other person in the instructional space, except where necessary for teaching and instruction that cannot be effectively provided if physical distancing is maintained