By Canadian Press

Ontario stage one reopening includes stores, surgeries, tennis, dog grooming

May 14, 2020 | 11:41 AM

TORONTO — Ontarians will be able to go shopping, play golf or tennis, and get their dogs groomed — but not visit family — starting next week as stage one of the province’s reopening kicks in, Premier Doug Ford announced Thursday.

Tuesday will mark the beginning of the province’s first recovery stage, which also includes the resumption of some surgeries, as the numbers of new COVID-19 cases in Ontario continue to drop.

“We need to keep in mind that all of this is dependent on the numbers,” Premier Doug Ford said.

“The truth is we can’t fully predict where things will go, so we need to be ready to react if we see a sudden increase in cases. We cannot let our guard down now. We must watch the trends like a hawk.”

Ontario officials are still advising working from home as much as possible.

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Although stage one will allow in-store shopping, golf games and for house cleaners and babysitters to work in people’s homes, provincial guidance to stay two metres away from anyone outside people’s immediate household is still in place.

Ford, who was criticized after he revealed he had two daughters over to his home contrary to the official advice, said he knows people are desperate to see family.

“I know I had one of my daughters over, or two, and I got in trouble for that, but for months we never saw them,” he said.

“I understand the pain you’re going through, your family’s going through, and other families are going through and I just ask, just hang in there a little bit longer and we’ll get through it.”

Health Minister Christine Elliott said officials have been discussing the concept of two-household bubbles, as other provinces are using, and Finance Minister Rod Phillips said updates on gatherings, school and child-care centres will come next week.

Though stage one begins Tuesday, a few measures will be loosened over the weekend. On Saturday, golf courses can reopen though clubhouses can only open for washrooms and take-out food. Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches can open Saturday, as can private parks and campgrounds for trailers and recreational vehicles whose owners have a full season contract, and businesses that board animals. 

All construction can resume Tuesday and limits will be lifted on maintenance, repair and property management services, such as cleaning, painting, and pool maintenance.

Most retail stores that have a street entrance can open with physical distancing restrictions, such as limits on the number of customers in a store, booking appointments and continuing to provide curbside pickup and delivery.

Golf driving ranges will be able to reopen, and sports that can be played with physical distancing will be allowed, including tennis, track and field, gymnastics, figure skating, and horse racing.

Some scheduled surgeries will restart, as well as in-person counselling such as psychology or addictions counselling. 

Other businesses and services included in the stage one reopening include regular veterinary appointments, pet grooming, pet sitting and pet training; libraries for pickup or deliveries; and housekeepers and babysitters.

Ontario reported 258 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and 33 more deaths.

That brings Ontario to a total of 21,494 cases, which is a 1.2 per cent increase over the previous day — the lowest growth rate since early March. The number of new cases is the lowest since late March.

The total includes 1,798 deaths and 16,204 cases that have been resolved, which is now more than 75 per cent of the total.

Hospitalizations increased, though the numbers of people in intensive care and on ventilators decreased.

Nearly 17,500 tests for COVID-19 were completed in the previous day, as the province works toward a goal of processing 20,000 per day.

Chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams is set to release expanded COVID-19 testing guidelines Thursday, which will say anyone with symptoms can be tested.

Health Minister Christine Elliott said in a tweet that doing so “will help identify and contain new cases and monitor any shifts in community spread to keep Ontarians safe.”

She said nearly every long-term care home resident and worker has now been tested, so testing will expand to other vulnerable populations, including people in retirement homes, shelters and group homes.

Previous testing guidelines relied on “clinical assessments” of patients, while also prioritizing certain groups such as front-line workers, people in long-term care, and essential workers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2020.

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press