Stores in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, are now allowed to reopen for curbside pick-up and delivery.
The reopening comes as the spread of COVID-19 in the province has slowed to a pace not seen since early March.
The opening of retail outlets is meant to give the economy a shot in the arm after the lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus caused unprecedented job losses in March and April. All retail stores with a street entrance are allowed to open and provide both curbside pick-up and delivery.
The Government of Ontario has also allowed garden centres and nurseries to reopen fully, as well as hardware stores. According to data released Friday by Statistics Canada, 689,200 Ontarians lost their jobs in April, in addition to 403,000 jobs lost in March.
The most recent data shows that Ontario reported 294 new cases of COVID-19 - a jump of just 1.5% over the previous day. The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 now sits at 20,238, with a death toll of 1,634.
Provincial parks in Ontario are also reopening, although beaches, camping areas and playgrounds will remain closed and physical distancing must be maintained.
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