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Canada's Ontario to Reopen Outdoor Spaces On Saturday - Premier

TORONTO (Sputnik) - The Canadian province of Ontario will begin reopening outdoor spaces on Saturday and embarking upon the first step of the province's reopening plan on Tuesday following weeks of a coronavirus-induced lockdown, Premier Doug Ford told reporters on Thursday.
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"Today, I am ready to announce that this Saturday at 12:01 am [4:00 am GMT] private parks and campgrounds, marinas and boat clubs, golf courses and businesses that board animals will be allowed to open" Ford said.

As of Tuesday, when the province embarks upon the first phase of the province's three-step plan to reopening the economy, scheduled surgeries will resume, and construction sites will be allowed to return to full capacity.

Additionally, as part of the first phase, retail services that have separate street-front entrances, seasonal recreational areas, such as sports field and courts, and animal services will be allowed to reopen on Tuesday, the premier said.

The announcement comes days after Ontario's parliament extended the Declaration of Emergency for an additional three weeks to 2 June.

As of 4 May, the province's garden centers and nurseries, as well as lawn care companies and construction sites - with some limitations – have been allowed to resume operations.

Ontario, Canada's most populous province, has been in a state of emergency since 17 March due the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to data from the nation's public health agency, the province has recorded 21,494 confirmed cases and at least 1,798 COVID-19-related fatalities as of Thursday.

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