Waterloo region will move to Step 3 of provincial reopening Friday, medical officer of health confirms

Waterloo region will move into Step 3 of the provincial reopening plan with the rest of Ontario Friday, medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang says.

Wang had said previously that the plan was to move to Step 2 on Monday of this week and then carry on with the province after that.

She confirmed on Tuesday the region will enter Step 3 at 12:01 a.m. Friday. The province announced last week that Ontario would move on to Step 3 five days earlier than planned.

The move will allow more spaces to open, such as gyms, indoor dining at restaurants and movie theatres, and will allow for larger gatherings indoor and out.

"Our public health and health care indicators continue to improve or stabilize, and our vaccination rates are increasing rapidly," Wang said in a release Tuesday.

"Waterloo region residents are strongly encouraged to get their second dose of vaccine as soon as they can and continue to diligently practice public health measures, as delta continues to circulate widely and remains a threat in our region."

Wang has said the delta variant, also known as the B1617 variant first detected in India, has been behind the elevated case numbers in Waterloo region. The community was named a delta hot spot by the province in June and Wang has called the variant "the greatest adversary our community has faced during this pandemic."

27 new cases, 2 deaths

Region of Waterloo Public Health reported 27 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday. There were also two deaths of people with the virus reported, a man in his 60s and a woman in her 80s. That brought the total number of COVID-related deaths in the region to 280.

There were 279 active cases in the region. There were 25 people in the region's three hospitals, the same number as Monday, with 15 people in the intensive care unit, down two from the previous day.

There were 16 active outbreaks in the region:

• Workplaces: Nine.
• Long-term care or retirement homes: Two.
• Hospitals: Two.
• Congregate settings: Two.

'Quick transition' for businesses

Waterloo region entered Step 2 of the reopening plan on Monday after a delay due to elevated COVID-19 case numbers.

Now, businesses will need to make a "quick transition" to get ready for Step 3, says Tim Borys, co-owner and chef at The Lancaster Smokehouse in Kitchener.

He said the restaurant pivoted to takeout meals last March and that, along with some government subsidies, has helped them remain open.

"It's going to be a relief," he said of being allowed to have indoor dining.

"Last week, I had a customer, I was chatting with him when he was just in the building going to the bathroom, and he looked around, he said, wow, I've never seen this place empty with nobody in the chairs and I said to him, I can't even remember what it looks like with people in the chairs. It's just been so long," he said.

He said being able to serve more people may be a bit of a shock to the system for workers and customers alike.

"We're all a little rusty from the pandemic. Life changed a little bit. Whether you're a server or a cook or whatever your position is, it's going to be a transition for sure," he said.

"So for customers going out there, we want you to come down, we're really excited to have you, but, you know, if you get a Coke instead of a diet Coke, don't be too upset."