More lifting of restrictions announced

Ontario will allow non-essential retail stores to open for curbside pickup next Monday as long as long as they have a retail storefront.

This as the province allows for some small steps toward reopening the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli speaking at a virtual event with Northern Ontario Chamber of Commerce members today said some restrictions will be lifted starting on Friday as well.

“Garden Centres and Nurseries will be open to the public as opposed to curb side. Saturday morning, all hardware stores and safety supply stores will be open to the public and not curbside,” he says.

He says those stores will be expected to follow the same public health measures as grocery stores and pharmacies currently do, such as physical distancing, offering contactless payment and sanitizing surfaces.
Ontario also extended its emergency orders  which include the continued closure of non-essential businesses, as the province reported 412 new cases of COVID-19 and 68 more deaths.

The emergency orders have now been extended to May 19.

The province also renewed lower electricity rates for residential consumers, farms and small businesses to the end of the month. An initial order from March for off-peak rates to be charged all day had been set to expire this week.

(with files from Canadian Press)

(submitted photo)