Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced much of southern Ontario will move on to Stage 2 of the province's economic reopening plan, but Toronto, Peel Region and Windsor won't be included.
"We ask you, please be patient because we can't let our guard down," he said Monday. "But the good news is the public health trends across the province are going in the right direction."
The regions that will move on to Stage 2, include York Region, Hamilton, Durham, Lambton, Niagara, Halton, Lambton and Haldimand-Norfolk.
They join most of the rest of the province which was permitted to move to Stage 2 as of last Friday, the most notable business reopenings including outdoor restaurant service and hair salons.
Ford said he'd ideally like for the remaining regions to move on to Stage 2 by next Friday the 26th, but it would depend on the numbers, which was echoed by Health Minister Christine Elliott.
"Unfortunately the numbers in Windsor were still higher than we'd like to see, along with those in Toronto and Peel," he said. "It's very close."
Ford said two of the three medical officers of health of the remaining regions said they weren't ready to reopen by this week.
Following the news, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie said it was the right decision.
"Mississauga is likely on the back end of the curve, and there is only one direction we are heading, and that is forward," she said. "The last thing we want to do is reopen too quickly and run the risk of a second wave before we have finished with the first."
However, there remains no travel restrictions for residents of one region to the next, such as someone from Toronto just going north to York Region and going to businesses that have reopened there.
Ford said he understands the concern, but asked for those in Stage 1 areas to remain vigilant and patient.
"And hopefully, very, very soon, we're going to open these regions up," he said.
On Monday, Ontario reported for the second straight day, under 200 new COVID-19 cases, with the number of hospitalizations (-19 to 419) and ventilators (-8 to 69) down, with one more case of someone in ICU (104.)
Elliott also said the provincial command table had discussed releasing updated modeling numbers for both total cases and deaths.
"You will be hearing about it, but I can't give you an exact date yet," she said.