Ottawa businesses busy as first weekend of Step 3 reopening rolls on
It’s the first weekend of Step 3 of the economic reopening in the province and as reopening rolls on Ottawa businesses are taking advantage of the new found freedoms.
For the first time in three months, people can dine indoors at bars and restaurants this weekend, head to a gym or gather in larger groups. For many this is the biggest step toward normalcy since the start of the pandemic.
"The first table we welcomed in it was very surreal," said Sarah Chown, managing partner of the Metropolitan Brasserie and Ottawa Chair of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association.
"They were so happy to be back inside, even though it was a nice day out, it does provide that sense of normalcy for them and that we’re getting some return to normal," she said.
As the capital spends its first weekend in Step 3, indoor dining is allowed again with no capacity limits so long as physical distancing is maintained.
"The rules this time around for indoor dining compared to last time are much better for us, especially those folks like us that have huge expansive spaces," said Chown.
Along with indoor dining, the move to the final step of the province’s reopening plan means movie theatres and gyms are open again and gathering limits have increased too — you can now have 100 people outdoors and 25 inside.
Meanwhile, retail stores no longer have specific capacity limits, they must just adhere to physical distancing measures.
"It’s been a wonderful plus for our customers to not face the prospect of lining up," said Bob Laughton, owner of Bushtukah in Westboro.
"To move from 15 per cent to a much larger capacity number it means no lineups outside the building."
But as reopening rolls along businesses are faced with new challenges.
"The Ford government has indicated they don’t want to lockdown business again but without a vaccine passport they’ve shifted the burden to check vaccination onto business," said Laughton.
The move to Step 3 means Ontario’s economy is more open than it’s been in months but experts say there is still a long road ahead.
"Once the business comes back, the economy comes back, some of those businesses it will be apparent to the landlords, to the banks that they just don’t have the competitive edge to survive," said economist Ian Lee.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Mother's Day movies that pull at ALL the heartstrings
This Mother's Day Weekend, take a look at some of the most emotional movies inspired by moms.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
'It was violent': Police tear down U of A pro-Palestinian encampment Saturday morning
Multiple people at the protest camp torn down at the University of Alberta campus Saturday say police's actions against protesters were "violent" and "disproportionate."