What's open in Ontario now that we've finally progressed to Step 3 of the province's reopening framework includes gyms, indoor dining, and other business operations that we've been forced to do without for months of lockdown.

As of 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 16, the province has loosened a series of public health restrictions, though the basic masking, sanitization, social distancing and other protocols will continue to come into play.

Here's a list of what's changed for various sectors of the province's economy in all regions (yes, even Waterloo!):

Gyms

• Gyms and recreational fitness facilities can finally open their doors to members with an indoor capacity limit of up to 50 per cent of normal levels so long as every person present can maintain at least two metres from one another. (These centres have been closed in some regions since as far back as October 2020!)
• Outdoor fitness classes can continue with as many participants in them as is possible with adequate physical distancing measures in place

Bars, restaurants, cafes and nightclubs

• Indoor dining is now permitted with no limits on the number of guests per table so long as physical distancing and other measures are still followed
• Outdoor dining can continue with no limits on the number of guests per table so long as physical distancing and other measures are still followed
• Nightclubs and other food or drink establishments with dance facilities indoors can now host up to 25 per cent of their usual capacity or 250 people, whichever is less

Events

• Indoor sports fields and recreational facilities can open to 50 per cent of their usual capacity for sports games, or 1,000 people, whichever is less
• Outdoor sports fields can fill up to 75 per cent of their usual spectator capacity, or 15,000 people, whichever is less
• Concert venues and performing arts theatres can open to 50 per cent of capacity or 1,000 people (whichever is less) for seated events indoors, 75 per cent capacity or up to 15,000 people (whichever is less) for seated events outdoors, and 75 per cent capacity or up to 5,000 people (whichever is less) for outdoor events where there is no fixed seating
• Fairs, exhibitions, festivals and other such events can take place with 50 per cent caps on attendees indoors and 75 per cent outdoors
• Meeting, conferences and such events can take place indoors with a 50 per cent capacity limit of up to 1,000 people (whichever is less)

Salons, barber shops and other personal care services

• Businesses offering personal care services, such as spas, tattoo shops and hair salons, can now offer all their usual services, including those that require the removal of a face covering
• Capacity limits increase from 25 per cent to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres apart

Retail and shopping

• Both "essential" and "non-essential" retail outlets can do away with capacity restrictions so long as the number of people in-store can safely maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from one another. This is notably up from 75 per cent of capacity for "essential" retailers and 50 per cent for "non-essential" in Step 2

Museums, theme parks, movie theatres and other attractions

• Museums, galleries, historic sites, aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens, science centres, casinos and bingo halls, amusement parks, landmarks, etc. can operate with a with a 50 per cent capacity limit indoors and 75 per cent capacity limit outdoors
• Like concert venues performing arts centres, movie theatres can host 50 per cent of their usual seated capacity indoors, to a maximum of 1,000
• Drive-ins and other outdoor theatres can host 75 per cent of their usual capacity to a maximum of 15,000 for seated events, and 5,000 for unseated events

Gathering limits

• Outdoor social gathering limits have gone from 25 people in Step 2 to a maximum of 100 with limited exceptions
• Indoor social gathering limits have gone from five people in Step 2 to 25 people

Other changes

• Indoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services will be permitted with physical distancing and other protocols in place
• Real estate open houses can operate with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of at least two metres

As for what comes after our requisite 21 days in Step 3, (but realistically based on the province's history with steps, perhaps less), officials say that we can look forward to not a Step 4, but a "full opening with some public health measures, if appropriate."