After months of lockdown measures to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, Toronto is slowly getting back to business.
And now that the city is officially in Stage 2 of the province's regional reopening of the economy, more and more businesses and services are reopening, including patios, shopping malls, hair salons, and beauty salons, to name a few.
READ: Everything That Can Reopen in Toronto During Stage 2
Some of the businesses allowed to reopen in Stage 2 include a variety of tourist attractions throughout the city, including:
- Tour and guide services, such as bike and walking, bus and boat tours, as well as tasting and tours for wineries, breweries and distilleries;
- Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos outdoor heritage institutions (landmarks, outdoor historic sites, botanical gardens), and other establishments primarily engaged in preserving and exhibiting objects, sites and natural wonders of historical, cultural and educational value are permitted to reopen with restrictions.
- Beach access and additional camping at Ontario Parks;
- Camping at private campgrounds;
- Drive-in and drive-through venues for theatres, concerts, animal attractions and cultural appreciation, such as art installations.
As more restrictions lift and businesses reopen, we put together a list of all of the major attractions in Toronto that are currently open or set to open soon, along with the measures that have been implemented to help ensure both staff and customers remain safe.
This list will be updated as more attractions reopen.
Toronto Zoo
After months of being closed, the Toronto Zoo announced it's reopening its doors on Saturday, June 27 for early member access. The Zoo said details will be announced in the next few days about reopening to the general public. There will also be some restrictions in place to help keep visitors safe including timed entry and a limited number of visitors allowed in a place at one time, as well as other physical distancing measures.
Casa Loma
Toronto's iconic castle will be safely reopening its doors to the public on Friday, June 26 at 9:30 am. Visitors are invited to explore the 5-acre attraction on their own with a self-guided tour or to take in the sights from the castle's outdoor patio.
To ensure the safety of visitors, there will be a limitation on the number of people allowed in the castle to allow for physical distancing and the cleaning schedule has been increased and the disinfection of high-touch and high traffic areas will happen multiple times a day. Additionally, the castle will only be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 9:30 am to 5 pm daily to help maintain the castle's high standards of cleanliness.
Ripley's Aquarium
Ripley's Aquarium will be back in business on Friday, June 26, and upon arrival, guests will immediately notice changes – from the precisely placed social distancing markers in line to reduced contact. Aquarium staff have also been extensively educated to provide visitors with a safe experience.
Aga Khan
The Aga Khan Museum will be reopening on June 27 and visitors will be required to purchase their tickets online in advance and the flow of visitors will be controlled using timed-entry ticketing. Other new safety measures in place include mandatory face masks for all staff and visitors over the age of two and sanitization stations throughout the Museum.
Guests are also asked to maintain physical distancing throughout the galleries. Parties may remain together and children must stay remain with a parent or caregiver at all times.
The Toronto Islands
The Toronto Islands and will be reopening and ferry service will resume for non-residents on Saturday, June 27. The ferries will operate at 50% maximum capacity and there will also be a number of additional COVID-19 guidelines and procedures in place to protect passengers and staff, developed in consultation with Toronto Public Health.
In order to allow for physical distancing on the ferries and in the terminal, ferry tickets will be limited to 5,000 per day and must be purchased online and visitors are encouraged to purchase their tickets ahead of time. Tickets are only valid for the date selected at the time of purchase. Passengers will also be required to wear non-medical masks or coverings and there will be additional staff on-site to assist customers and sell tickets.
There will also be enhanced cleaning and disinfecting undertaken on the vessels after every trip and hand sanitizer dispensers will be available. The washrooms on the ferries will be closed, however, washrooms will be open at the terminal and at Toronto Island Park. As of this Saturday, the City says splash pads, a first aid station, Franklin Gardens, William Meany Maze, some food and beverage outlets, and disc golf will also open.
Art Gallery of Ontario
The AGO will be re-opening its doors in July after being closed for three months. The reopening will take place in two stages, on July 2 AGO Members and Annual Pass Holders with pre-booked tickets will be allowed to visit at designated times. They will start booking on June 25 and 26, respectively. Then on July 16, all members of the public will be able to start booking single tickets and can visit starting July 23.
However, to ensure the safety of all visitors, the gallery will be implementing new health and safety measures, which includes strict capacity limits, only selling tickets online, enforcing all staff and visitors to wear face masks, and increasing the gallery's cleaning schedule.
CN Tower
Visitors will be able to take in the best views of the city from the top of the CN Tower's observation deck starting July 15. The CN Tower will then be open seven days a week from 10 am to 8 pm.
The CN Tower says it has assessed the building from bottom to top and made adjustments to ensure physical distancing is achieved throughout the entire facility. The guest flow, including elevator capacity, has also been reimagined to avoid bottlenecks anywhere they might occur. Timed tickets go on sale online on July 1 and the EdgeWalk is accepting bookings for Walks beginning August 1.
