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
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.