Updated:  

Announced early this afternoon, phase three of the province's reopening has been scheduled to begin on June 8th.  

restaurants and licensed establishments will be able to open at 50 percent capacity.  Gyms and fitness facilities will also be able to open for business, as will childcare facilities and places of worship – subject to guidelines that are being developed.  Personal service businesses that did not open in Phase 2 are also allowed to begin providing services.

Stay with Swift Current Online for more on this development.

 

Original:

No sooner had the province of Saskatchewan move onto phase two of their gradual economic reopening plan than questions were coming in about phase three. At the time the province first unveiled the multi-phase plan, phase three did not have a set date. With phase two now underway, that's still the case.

On the opening day of phase two, which saw hairdressers and certain retail outlets allowed to reopen, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe held a press conference to provide an update on the province's efforts to tackle COVID-19. He was asked about what phase three might look like and when it might happen. 

"With respect to phase three," said Moe, "I think what you can expect in the very near future, understanding that businesses do need some lead time and some ramp-up time if you will, that we will move forward with setting a target date for opening. We need to continue to monitor the number of infections. We're entering a very critical stage."

The province may not have a target date yet, but many Saskatchewan residents are eager for them to set one. Phase three of the reopening plan includes restaurants and fitness facilities, both of which have been closed for what will be over two months by the time phase three likely begins.

"Phase three businesses will have to change in many ways how they operate," Moe said. "Notably among them is a large number of restaurants in communities right across this province." 

As eager as many people may be to get back to the bar or the gym, however, don't expect the province to announce they'll be reopening tomorrow. Every phase so far has been separated by weeks, and the government shows no signs of changing that. 

"It's always good to have two to three weeks, minimum two weeks but up to three, between phases, and maybe longer," said Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health Officer. "I think we just need to let phase two reopen and then move on to phase three."

The Premier added that any target date they set for phase three will be flexible, though he hopes they won't have to move it, just in case the province sees other outbreaks similar to the ones they've endured in the far north.