Ontario loosening pandemic restaurant rules

Ontario is loosening restrictions on restaurants, allowing outdoor dining Toronto and Peel Region while increasing restaurant capacity for other regions.

The province says Toronto and Peel will remain in the strictest "grey lockdown" category of Ontario's pandemic framework but restaurants can offer services outdoors, as requested by the region's top doctors.

Restaurants in regions in the second-strictest "red" category will be able to increase capacity to a maximum of 50 people indoors, up from the previous limit of 10.

Restaurants operating in “orange” zones will be able to have 100 people indoors, from a previous limit of 50.

The new rules take effect after midnight Saturday.

The changes come as cases in the province have been climbing.