Ontario to begin gradual reopening of the province on Wednesday

Ontario will begin the gradual reopening of its economy starting Wednesday.

Premier Doug Ford says the state of emergency declared last month will be allowed to expire as scheduled on Tuesday.

A stay-at-home order will remain in effect until regions gradually transition back to the government’s colour-coded restrictions system over the next three weeks.

Hamilton, Halton, Niagara, Brant and Haldimand-Norfolk will remain under the stay-at-home order until Tuesday Feb. 16.

The province will then decide what restriction level areas will be placed in.

Toronto, York and York Regions will stay under the order until Feb. 22.

The province is also changing the rules for the strictest category of the restrictions system, grey-lockdown, allowing previously closed business to reopen with capacity limits.

As of 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday Hastings Prince Edward, Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington and Renfrew County and District Health Unit will no longer be under the stay-at-home order. They move into green-protect restriction levels.

The government will also introduce an “emergency brake” that allows the province to immediately move a region into lockdown if cases spike.

Ontario has been under lockdown since Boxing Day and the government declared the state of emergency on Jan. 12 over rising cases of COVID-19.