Sault chamber of commerce wants reopening to happen sooner
A northern Ontario chamber of commerce is hoping for a more expedited reopening process in Ontario to help struggling businesses.
An official with Sault Ste. Marie's chamber said they're happy to see a plan from the Ford government that starts next Monday, but would have preferred to see the province stick to its original Jan. 26 date.
"Extending it another five days, there's certainly a lot of questions about how much impact that would really have," said chamber CEO Rory Ring.
"Other than again, stalling these businesses ability to get back at what they do best, which is running their businesses."
Ring said business owners have become accustomed to adapting throughout the pandemic and is encouraged the province is at least looking to get customers back into shops.
In most cases, members are also happy with Ontario's more conservative approach, he added, in comparison to some European countries who've moved to scrap their COVID-19 restrictions almost entirely this month.
"But watching how the global market unfolds, it does add some frustration to our current situation," he said. "Do we have to ban all protocols at this time? I would suggest no, but that's not to say you can't move into restricted capacity limits with all the protocols in place."
Under provincial guidelines, recreational facilities will also be able to reopen starting Monday.
The City of Sault Ste. Marie said it's still waiting for clarification on exactly what restrictions will be in place.
Ontario's three-stage reopening plan ends on March 14, with all indoor capacity limits being removed, but proof of vaccination remaining in effect.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
Regulated area for invasive box tree moth expanded to parts of the Maritimes
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added much of the Maritimes to a regulated area for an invasive species.
Already expensive, planning for fertility treatment difficult as costs vary widely
Being unable to have a child naturally can be extremely difficult. But when you factor in the high costs of fertility treatments, the range of individual circumstances and the fact that the industry itself is secretive about fees, it can make the whole ordeal even more devastating and hard to plan for.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.