Thursday, June 24, 2021

Province of Ontario moves to Step Two of reopening plan on June 30

MARKHAM, ON – June 24, 2021 – As of Wednesday, June 30 at 12:01 AM, the Province of Ontario will enter Step Two of its Roadmap to Reopen. The decision to move to Step Two of the reopening plan is based on the continual improvement to public health and health care indicators, provincewide vaccination rates and the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

Step Two of the reopening plan focuses on the resumption of more outdoor activities and limited indoor services with small numbers of people where masks or face coverings are worn, with other restrictions in place.

This includes, but is not limited to:

Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people
Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 5 people
Essential and other select retail permitted at 50 per cent capacity
Non-essential retail permitted at 25 per cent capacity
Personal care services where face coverings can be worn at all times, and at 25 per cent capacity and other restrictions
Outdoor dining with up to 6 people per table, with exceptions for larger households and other restrictions
Indoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services permitted at up to 25 per cent capacity of the particular room
Outdoor fitness classes limited to the number of people who can maintain 3 metres of physical distance
Outdoor sports without contact or modified to avoid contact, with no specified limit on number of people or teams participating, with restrictions
Overnight camps for children operating in a manner consistent with Provincial safety guidelines
Outdoor sport facilities with spectators permitted at 25 per cent capacity
Outdoor concert venues, theatres and cinemas, with spectators permitted at 25 per cent capacity
Outdoor horse racing and motor speedways, with spectators permitted at 25 per cent capacity
Outdoor fairs, rural exhibitions, festivals, permitted at 25 per cent capacity and with other restrictions

The City of Markham’s COVID-19 affected services will be as follows when the Province enters Step Two on June 30:

Select outdoor recreational amenities are open, including tennis courts, pickleball courts, sports fields, skate parks and basketball courts
Milne Dam Park is open
- 300 cars maximum
- Admission fees (holidays and weekends)
- Picnics allowed (subject to gathering limits)
Morgan Pool is open for public swimming, rentals, lessons and Aquafit (pre-booking required)
Parks, splash pads and playgrounds are open
All park-facility washrooms are open
Outdoor, in-person and registered recreation and fitness programs will continue
Library, recreation and fitness programs continue to be offered virtually
City-owned community centres, indoor tennis facility, indoor soccer domes indoor arenas, indoor pools, fitness centres, the Markham Museum, the Flato Markham Theatre and the Varley Art Gallery will remain closed
Flato Markham Theatre continues to stream virtual performances
Varley Art Gallery continues to offer virtual school programs, virtual ART to Go summer camps (July and August) and online exhibitions (from mid July)
Markham Museum continues to offer online exhibitions and activities
Markham Public Library continues to offer select online services
Markham Public Library curbside pick-up of holds and returns will be available at Markham Village, Thornhill Village and Unionville locations
City services continue to be offered to residents and businesses virtually and in-person (services requiring in-person assistance require an appointment)
Markham Recycling Depots are open

All public health and workplace safety measures currently in place will remain in effect until the Province of Ontario moves to Step Two on June 30 at 12:01 AM.

While the Province has exceeded Step Three vaccination targets, Ontario may remain in Step Two for a period of approximately 21 days to allow the most recent vaccinations to reach their full effectiveness and to evaluate any impacts of moving to Step Two on key public health and health care indicators. When it is determined to be safe, the Province of Ontario will move to Step Three of the reopening plan.

Residents are reminded to follow public health recommendations before and after getting vaccinated to help protect themselves and others:

Wear a mask or face covering
Keep a safe distance of 2 metres/6 feet
Wash your hands
Monitor your health
Follow gathering limits

Businesses that are looking to better understand COVID-19 health and safety regulations can visit markham.ca/CovidEnforcement. All local restaurants, retailers and artisans are encouraged to join Destination Markham’s online business listing at visitmarkham.ca, where they can be found quickly by a community eager to support local. Finance, tax and legal workshops, as well as pre-recorded webinars, continue to be available via the Markham Small Business Centre during these challenging times.

As we navigate the pandemic together, the City of Markham continues to monitor and follow advice from public health officials at the federal, provincial and regional levels.

It is critically important that we each continue to do our part to keep one another safe. It is not the time to let your guard down. Every action counts.

Visit markham.ca/covid19 for more information.

Related links:

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Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti's Office:
Bryan Frois, Chief of Staff at bfrois@markham.ca or 416.567.1177.

All other media inquiries / interview requests for the City of Markham:
Jennifer Yap, Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations at jyap@markham.ca or 437.229.2450.

For COVID-19 announcements from the City of Markham:
Visit markham.ca/covid19 or listen to 105.9 The Region – Markham’s information and emergency radio station.

About Markham: Markham, an award-winning municipality with over 351,000 residents and the largest of nine communities in York Region, is home to over 650 corporate head offices and more than 1,500 high tech and life science companies. Markham is a leader in attracting foreign direct investment with more than 240 foreign companies located in the City. Founded in the 1790s, today Markham is Canada’s most diverse community and enjoys a rich heritage, outstanding community planning and services, and a vibrant local economy. Markham has received the Excellence Canada Gold Award for Organizational Quality & Healthy Workplace, and multiple heritage and environmental awards.

Stay Connected: Visit our newsroom or search #MarkhamNews and #MarkhamEvents for the latest information on City programs, services and event.