After months of lockdown, COVID-19 restrictions have loosened in Timmins and area.
Most of the Porcupine Health Unit region is officially in Step One of the provincial Roadmap to Reopen. The exception is Moosonee, where enhanced restrictions are still in place.
While restrictions have loosened locally, medical officer of health Dr. Lianne Catton has issued another letter of instruction for businesses and organizations that is effective today. It includes enhanced rules for collecting contact information from staff and visitors, rapid testing, and isolating requirements for people with COVID-19 or who have symptoms.
The letter requires workplaces to "ensure strict compliance with all Step One rules and instructions" and is in place until it's changed or rescinded by Catton.
The Step One changes effective today in Timmins include:
- Restaurant patios can welcome customers again with up to four people per table. Indoor dining is not permitted until the third step in the plan.
- You can have an outdoor gathering of up to 10 people with physical distancing and mask use in place. The gathering is not limited to your household members.
- All non-essential retail stores that were closed during the emergency brake can reopen at 15 per cent of the building’s capacity.
- Essential retail stores can have up to 25 per cent of the building’s capacity indoors at a time.
- Religious services, rites, and ceremonies are permitted 15 per cent of the building capacity indoors and the outdoor capacity is limited to how many people can gather in the space while maintaining a two-metre distance from each other.
- Day camps can resume.
- Outdoor pools and wading pools can open.
- Overnight camping resumes
- Outdoor sports training, fitness classes and personal training in groups of up to 10 people is permitted. No games or team practices are allowed.
- Outdoor horse racing and motor speedways can operate, but spectators are not permitted.
- Masks are still required indoors in public spaces, and on patios except while you are eating or drinking.
SEE RELATED: Here's a breakdown of commonly asked questions about where Timmins is at
For Moosonee, in addition to the letter of instruction of enhanced rules for businesses, the restrictions that remain in place for Moosonee are:
- Grocery stores, convenience stores, and places that sell liquor can only operate at 25 per cent capacity.
- One person at a time is allowed into other retail sales businesses.
- Restaurants may open for takeout, drive-thru and delivery only.
- No indoor or outdoor sports or recreational classes are allowed except for identified sports teams, child care providers, mental health/addictions support services, social services or persons with disabilities.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is moving the province into Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen early. It starts June 30.
A full breakdown of the three-step roadmap is available here.
