Outdoor fitness classes will soon be allowed again in Toronto
Outdoor fitness classes in Toronto will soon be allowed again.
While Toronto will remain in the grey zone of Ontario's COVID-19 framework for the foreseeable future thanks to rising case counts and variants of the concern in circulation, the province is making some adjustments to what is allowed in this zone to allow residents to get outside and enjoy the outdoors.
In an update to the framework released Friday, the province announced that outdoor exercise classes will be allowed in grey zone regions, including Toronto, as of Monday, March 29 at 12:01 a.m.
Ontario is reporting 2,169 cases of #COVID19 and over 53,400 tests completed. Locally, there are 682 new cases in Toronto, 397 in Peel, 254 in York Region, 129 in Ottawa, 123 in Durham and 122 in Hamilton.
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) March 26, 2021
"Over the last week, we have continued to see some concerning trends in key health indicators in regions across the province," said Health Minister Christine Elliott in a statement.
"As we cautiously make targeted adjustments to public health measures to support the wellbeing of individuals and small business owners, it is critical that everyone remains vigilant and continues to strictly follow all public health measures and advice to keep each other safe."
Starting Monday, outdoor fitness classes, outdoor training for team and individual sports and outdoor personal training will be permitted in Toronto.
Businesses operating these classes will be subject to public health and workplace safety measures, of course, including a maximum of 10 patrons at a time and active patron screening.
And while this will undoubtedly help Toronto residents get outside and get active after a long winter of being couped up indoors, this measure is also intended to support gyms and fitness businesses, which have been shuttered for months thanks to ongoing lockdown measures.
The province is also allowing marinas and boating clubs to operate clubhouses, restaurants and bars for outdoor dining starting next week, and restrictions on personal care services are also being loosened.
This comes after the province reintroduced patio dining for all regions in the grey zone last week.
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