Customers lineup outside Sudbury retailers as COVID-19 restrictions lifted Friday
It has been more than two months since items that the Ontario government considered "non-essential" have been available for in-person purchase and people in Sudbury are anxious to get back to in-person shopping.
CTV News talked to one Sudbury woman who started out shopping at 6 a.m.
"My first back to in-person shopping was great. My daughter wanted to tag along, it's been a long time since we got to get out of the house. We loved it, everyone at Winners was happy to be back, it was just nice," said Amanda Gopaulsingh.
When Walmart in New Sudbury opened at 7 a.m. on Friday, dozens of customers were already lined up waiting to go in.
Customer lineup outside Walmart in New Sudbury, Ont. at 7 a.m. as 'non-essential' items become available for purchase for the first time in more than two months. June 11/21 (Karen Kennelly Bass)
Taylor-Anne Pilotte of Pure Country Sudbury was at Homesense and Winners just before 10 a.m. and the lineup to get in the store 30 minutes after opening was wrapped around the buildling.
Lineup outside Winners and Homesense in Sudbury just before 10 a.m. June 11/21 (Taylor-Anne Pilotte)
Big box and grocery stores were forced to cordon off aisles of merchandise and only sell "essentials" when the last stay-at-home order took effect on April 8, while other retailers were only allowed to offer curbside pick up and delivery to their customers. Winners and Homesense have been shuttered since the last emergency orders went into effect.
On Wednesday, during an extreme heatwave, shoppers at the Dollarama in New Sudbury were not allowed to purchase items like ice cube trays because the store said the government deemed the kitchen item "non-essential."
Now, after more than nine weeks, all retail stores may reopen with store capacity limits - except for those located inside a shopping mall without a separate entrance. Due to the continued surge in new COVID-19 infections in the Cochrane District, the Porcupine Health Unit has decided to continue the shutdown for another two weeks, so stores in that area remain under previous restrictions.
Shoppers at Walmart on Friday morning wasted no time filling up carts with items that were considered "non-essential" the day before, like clothes, shoes and toys.
Shopping cart full of merchandise that was considered 'non-essential' the day before at Walmart due to COVID-19 restrictions. June 11/21 (Amanda Harte/CTV Northern Ontario)
Shopping cart full of sporting goods at Walmart. June 11/21 (Amanda Harte/CTV Northern Ontario)
Around Sudbury, many restaurants have been busy building patio areas as outdoor dining resumes on Friday as well. There are limits to how many people can be at a table, four – unless they live in the same household, in which case that cap doesn't apply.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Calgary police shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers dealt with a distraught individual. The incident lasted almost 20 hours.