Ontario’s premier is expected to announce plans at 1pm Monday to begin reopening the province, with the state of emergency expected to be lifted Tuesday.

Doug Ford will reportedly announce that the stay at home order will remain in effect as regions gradually transition back to the government’s colour coded COVID-19 related restrictions system over the next three weeks.

We are also expected to learn about a so-called “emergency brake” that would allow Ontario’s chief medical officer of health to immediately move a region back into lockdown if cases spike.

Toronto mayor John Tory explained on Monday, he’s hearing February 22nd for a loosening of restrictions in this city.

“As we get into that later part of February, we’ll see some easing of restrictions in Toronto and Peel, that’s my guess,” Tory explained, “But I’m not sure you’re going to see anything that amounts to a large scale reopening at that time. It’ll be a very gradual thing, and I think that is exactly the right thing that the government is doing.”

The mayor also said that non-essential retailers, although not restaurants, could be allowed to reopen as part of the loosened restrictions later this month.