First Stage of Reopening the Economy

Many businesses in Ontario, including some retail stores, recreation and sport facilities, and professional workplaces, reopened on Tuesday May 19th, 2020 after months of shutdown due to COVID-19.

A number of seasonal recreational facilities, such as golf courses, campgrounds, and marinas opened over May long weekend, allowing Ontario the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.

Below is a list of stores that have opened on May 19th:

• All construction and essential workplace limits lifted
• All retail stores with a street entrance can open with limited capacity
• Vehicle dealerships and retailers.
• Non-emergency diagnostic imaging and surgeries in public hospitals and independent health facilities, clinics, and private practices to resume 
• Certain health and medical services, such as in-person counselling and scheduled surgeries 
• Libraries for pick-up or delivery
• Outdoor recreational amenities such as marinas, campgrounds.
• Outdoor recreational sports centres. This includes tennis courts, cycling tracks, horse riding facilities and golf driving ranges.
• Professional services related to research and experimental development in physical, engineering and life sciences including electronics, computers, chemistry, geology, mathematics, physics, environmental, medicine, health, biology, biotechnology, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, pharmacy, veterinary, etc.
• Veterinary services by appointment and animal services such as grooming and training.
• Household cleaning services, cooks and nanny services.
• General maintenance, and repair services

When announcing that the province will be entering its next stage of reopening, Premier Ford stressed that businesses should only open their doors if they are ready.

Below is a list of public health measures expected to see from places of employment:

• Provide online ordering, delivery, or curbside pickup if possible
• Eliminate at-the-door payment methods for delivery
• Provide training on how to keep cash registers, other equipment clean
• Retailers would need to restrict the number of customers to ensure physical distancing of 2 metres at all times.
• Only fitting rooms with doors would be used, not curtains, to facilitate disinfecting. 
• Manage traffic flow with floor markers and barriers
• Staff should consider using personal protective equipment
• Provide easy access to soap and water, have appropriate number of toilets and clean-up facilities
• Postpone non-essential face-to-face appointments or convert to virtual/video appointments
• Stagger start times and breaks
• Reposition workstations to increase physical distances or install barriers and partitions
• Employers at construction sites should plan for enough tools to be on site so workers don't have to share
• Construction workers should place work clothes into a bag before taking home to wash

ALL EMERGENCY ORDERS HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TILL JUNE 9TH, 2020.

This includes closure of playgrounds, public swimming pools, bars & restaurants, except takeout and delivery. The restrictions on social gathering of more than five people still remains in effect.

Please check the Walleyes website for an updated list of open businesses in Thunder Bay:

http://www.thewalleye.ca/whats-open-in-thunder-bay/

As of Wednesday May 27, 2020 Marshalls, Winners and HomeSense in Thunder Bay are now open to the public with physical distancing measures and other safeguards in place. Please check the stores websites to view the hours of operation.