Gyms, restaurant dining, theatres, casinos — all can open at 50% capacity — and social gathering maximums will increase to 10 indoors and 25 outdoors.

The Premier said new restrictions were necessary to combat the Omicron wave when announced on Jan. 5 but key indicators for now are generally positive with hospital stays dropping in length, new admissions slowing and hospital staff absenteeism declining.

“The additional measures were always intended to be time-limited,” Ford said Thursday.

The relaxing of restrictions came as unions for nurses, hospital workers and teachers warned of a crisis in health care and education that required immediate action including permanent sick days, airborne protection for all frontline workers and the repeal of the Ford government’s wage capping bill.