Some provinces hit hard by the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic are moving toward shedding more public health restrictions as national infection rates hit a low not seen since last fall.
Alberta has entered the second phase of its reopening plan, which includes allowing restaurants and gyms to operate with restrictions, as well as expanding outdoor gatherings to 20 people.
Manitoba has announced that its plan to get back to normal will, as in other provinces, be tied to vaccination rates.
The first target is to have more than 70 per cent of Manitobans 12 and older immunized with a first dose and 25 per cent with a second dose by Canada Day.
If that happens, the province says it will loosen some capacity restrictions on businesses and other facilities.
Ontario’s partial economic reopening, which includes limited retail shopping and patio dining, is to go ahead Friday.
Canada’s COVID-19 infections are at their lowest level since September: the seven-day average of new cases sat at 1,611 as of Wednesday.