Need a haircut? Ontario moving to Step 2 June 30, what it means for the London region

London, Ont. -

London and area businesses will get a couple extra days of looser restrictions as Ontario announced it will be moving to Step 2 of its reopening plan a little earlier than expected.

Originally slated for July 2, the move into Step 2 will now take place on June 30, two days earlier.

In order to move into Step 2 the province set a vaccination target of 70 per cent of adults with one dose and 20 per cent fully vaccinated.

Now that the province will be moving into Step 2 by Wednesday what does that mean for area businesses and the public in general?

One of the major changes will be that personal care services will once again be allowed to reopen, a sector that has experienced some of the toughest and longest restrictions.

Stores in malls will once again open under capacity restrictions.

Changes under Step 2 of the Reopening Roadmap

• Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 25 people, up from 10 under Step 1
• Indoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to five people
• Outdoor dining for up to six people per table
• Essential and other select retail permitted at 50 per cent capacity
• Non-essential retail capacity at 25 per cent
• Stores in shopping malls open, with restrictions
• Larger indoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services at 25 per cent capacity
• Outdoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services, capped at the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres
• Overnight camps
• Personal care services where face coverings can be worn at all times at 25 per cent capacity
• Outdoor fitness classes are capped at the number of people who can maintain 3 metres of distance
• Public libraries permitted at 25 per cent capacity
• Outdoor meeting and event spaces at 25 per cent capacity
• Outdoor amusement and water parks at 25 per cent capacity
• Outdoor sports games, leagues and events at 25 per cent capacity
• Outdoor cinemas, performing arts, live music events and attractions at 25 per cent capacity
• Outdoor horse racing and motor speedways at 25 per cent capacity

In order to move into Step 3 Ontario needs to have 70-80 per cent of adults with one dose and 25 per cent fully vaccinated, a threshold that has already been passed.

It is unclear at this time if Ontario will consider moving into Step 3 earlier than the 21 days required between each step.

For more information on Ontario Roadmap to Reopening follow this link.