Ontario continues to move forward with its slow, phased and carefully-monitored plan to re-open of non-essential businesses across the province — today, with the announcement that we'll once again be allowed to shop inside hardware stores and garden centres.

Premier Doug Ford announced during his daily pandemic press conference on Wednesday that, as Friday, May 8, at 12:01 a.m., garden centres and nurseries will reopen to the public.

"Heading into Mother's Day this weekend, please be sure to support your local garden centre or nursery," said the Premier before launching into an even more exciting announcement for artists, home repair enthusiasts and people who simply miss browsing shelves of spray paint.

Beginning May 9th, Ontario will allow hardware stores and safety supply stores to open for in-store payment and purchases. Strict health and safety guidelines must be followed. pic.twitter.com/DgNyAkt2IY

— Jeff Yurek (@JeffYurekMPP) May 6, 2020

As of Saturday, May 9, at 12:01 a.m., hardware stores and safety supply stores will be permitted to open for in-store payment and purchases, though they'll now be operating under the same guidelines as grocery stores and pharmacies.

This may mean limiting the number of people in a store at any given time, among other social distancing measures, but it also means that we no longer have to ask an employee to go in and find the vague thing we think we want.

Choosing a colour of paint has truly been a nightmare in recent weeks.

“...as well as in-store payment and purchases at garden centres, nurseries, hardware stores and safety supply stores.” - does this mean actually going into Home Depot is allowed? https://t.co/mFgB1g8nbS

— Rudy 🔴🏠 (@Rudy187) May 6, 2020

Hardware stores were famously (and contentiously) taken off the province's list of essential businesses and forced to close except for curbside pick-up in early April. 

Managers of hardware stores such as Home Hardware, Home Depot, Lowe's and other independent shops are asked to review new health and safety guidelines developed by the province and its health and safety association partners prior to reopening. 

"As we watch the trends carefully every day, as we see the numer of new cases inch downward, we've been preparing," said Ford during his press conference this afternoon. "We are preparing to get more and more of our economy working again safely and consciously."

No word yet on when we can expect restaurants to reopen, but all retail stores will be allowed to reopen for curbside pick-up on Monday, which in itself is a huge step forward in the fight to regain some sense of normalcy.