The gathering limits in Ontario have been changing as regions graduate out of the blanket shutdown and into various zones of the colour-coded  framework, and the final three regions of Toronto, Peel and North Bay Parry Sound are now being permitted to join the rest of the province in reopening, however slightly.

The stay-at-home order and complete lockdown will be lifted in the three regions at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, March 8 as they enter the grey zone, which still mandates largescale business closures and extremely rigorous health and safety measures.

The only real difference between the shutdown we've been in since Dec. 26 and the new grey zone — which Toronto and Peel residents will remember going into on Nov. 23 until the provincewide restrictions were put in place — will be the fact that "non-essential" retail stores will be permitted to reopen with 25 per cent capacity and that gathering limits will be increased.

Residents in grey zones can have outdoor gatherings of 10 people, which is up from the five permitted under the provincial shutdown.

Unfortunately, indoor private gatherings with people you don't live with are still technically forbidden in this zone of the framework, and violators can be fined under the Reopening Ontario Act. A limit of 10 indoors is, however, allowed for religious ceremonies such as weddings and funerals where physical distancing can be maintained.

Residents will have to wait until the somhow now-coveted red zone for gathering limits to move up to five indoors and 25 outdoors, and for things like gyms, bars, restaurants, select personal care services, meeting and event spaces and gaming establishments to open up for in-person services as they have done in nearby York and Durham.