What changes as the region readies for looser COVID-19 rules Monday

Starting Monday, the province begins to loosen some pandemic restrictions and life in Waterloo region may feel like its starting to return to normal.

Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region's medical officer of health, thanked businesses that had to close over the last few weeks.

"Even though it has been very difficult for them and it has impacted them greatly, they have been in support of the sacrifices that they've had to make to help protect our community," she said Friday during a media briefing. "I'm just really grateful for that."

Wang people need to continue to follow public health rues in order to "see [businesses] open and stay open."

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said he's "thrilled" some city programs get to restart Monday and he thanked the community for helping curb spread of COVID-19.

But he also warned not everything can open right away.

"I know we are all anxious to get back to our regular activities, but we need to proceed cautiously and continue to work together to maintain the important public health measures that will keep us all safe," he said in a news release.

Across the province

There are new gathering limits starting on Monday: 10 people for indoor social gatherings and 25 for gatherings outside.

Ontario-wide, many indoor settings will be allowed to open at 50 per cent capacity on Monday, including:

• Restaurants, bars and other food establishments without dancing.
• Retailers, including shopping malls.
• Gyms and non-spectator areas of sports facilities.
• Movie theatres.
• Meeting and event spaces.
• Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos and similar attractions.
• Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments.
• Religious services, rites and ceremonies.

Proof of vaccination and masking requirements remain in place. For people with a medical exemption, a doctor's note claiming an exemption is no longer enough. Instead, people with medical exemptions must now show a digital QR code that can be scanned by the Verify Ontario app. 

Local programs set to restart

Proof of vaccination is also mandatory for everyone over age 12 when entering recreational facilities. Anyone entering a recreation facility must present the enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code.

In Kitchener on Monday:

• City arenas will reopen for ice bookings.
• Budd Park will be open for indoor field bookings.
• Community centres will reopen.
• Special events at The Aud can resume with up to 500 spectators.
• Outdoor facilities will remain open with the number of spectators not to exceed 50 per cent occupancy, along with other requirements. 
• Outdoor winter rinks across the city remain open as well as synthetic rinks at the Kitchener Market and 44 Gaukel St. 
• Kitchener City Hall remains open and in-person appointments can be scheduled between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• The Kitchener Market's Saturday market remains open at 50 per cent capacity.  

Other reopenings of note in Kitchener:

• Starting Tuesday, indoor dining at the Kitchener Market food hall will reopen. It will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays at 50 per cent capacity. Proof of vaccine is required.
• On Feb. 7, indoor pools will reopen for public use.

The City of Waterloo said as of Monday, recreation facilities will reopen for indoor sport bookings and the free walking programs at RIM Park and the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Centre will restart.

Following that, other programs will get underway in a phased-in approach:

• On Tuesday, aquatic leadership programs will resume.
• On Thursday, pickleball and aquatic drop-in programs will resume.
• During the week of February 14, additional drop-in programs will be added.
• During the week of February 21, additional drop-in fitness programs will start.
• Swim lessons will resume for the spring session.
• The City of Waterloo Museum will remain closed until mid February while a new exhibition is installed. 

In Cambridge, all arena facilities and online registration for recreation and culture programs will re-open Monday.

As well:

• Summer camp registration will begin on Tuesday.
• All recreation programs at the aquatic and recreation facilities will resume on Feb. 7.
• Public skates and public swims are available, and schedules can be seen on the city's website. People are encouraged to book spots in advance.
• The Cambridge Farmers' Market remains open at reduced capacity. People can order online for pick-up through the market's website.
• The Service Cambridge desk in city hall is open for in-person services but residents are encouraged to do city business online or over the phone if possible.

In Wilmot, the administration complex will re-open to limited in-person services on the main floor, while other areas of the building remain restricted to the public, and scheduled appointments will be required.

As well, the Wilmot Recreation Complex will open Monday with limited capacity.

In North Dumfries, the Ayr Community Centre, North Dumfries Community Complex and Roseville Community Centre will open on Monday. The township municipal office remains open to the public, but people are encouraged to book an appointment for any in-person services.

In Guelph, indoor sport and recreational fitness facilities, including gyms, will reopen on Monday with capacity limited to 50 per cent. This includes drop-in programs and rentals.

As well:

• Winter registered programs will begin the week of February 6.
• The West End Branch of the Guelph Public Library will open on Monday.
• Guelph Museums will reopen on Tuesday.
• Guelph Storm games will have fans in attendance as of Friday, Feb. 4.

Return to work

As of Monday, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health will rescind a letter of instruction from medical officer of health Dr. Nicola Mercer for people to work from home if possible.

"While remote work is no longer required, I still urge individuals, organizations and businesses to make working from home an option wherever possible," Mercer said in a release.

Wang echoed those comments in her briefing with Waterloo region media on Friday.

"I would recommend people still do that if they can," she said, adding any companies asking people to come back to in-person work should do so on a gradual basis.

Also starting on Monday, people can walk into any regionally-run COVID-19 vaccine clinic to get a first, second or third dose of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. People seeking the Johnson and Johnson vaccine must book an appointment through the region's website.