Ford suggests Toronto gyms and salons could open soon

Ontario premier Doug Ford has said his cabinet will meet to consider loosening restrictions on businesses that offer personal-care and fitness services such as salons, barbers and gyms. 

That means people looking to shed their quarantine coifs and lockdown pounds could be in luck sooner than they thought.

Despite allowing for more of Toronto to open up, including places of worship and patio dining at bars and restaurants, Ford is still reminding Ontario  that it's not out of the pandemic yet, urging residents to follow all precautions.

"I can't stress this enough," Ford said during a news conference. "Please, we have to be cautious."

Owners of gyms, salons and barbershops have made it clear they need to reopen as they continue to lose money. Many local shops having already shut their doors over the past year, others are barely holding on.

"There's two aspects: protecting lives and protecting livelihoods," Ford said. "Making sure that we think of the future when we open up the economy, get things moving, and get people back to work."

With concerns of a third wave around the corner, Ford and his team are stressing that proper protocols be followed to avoid another lockdown.

As more vaccines get administered and the city begins to open, being able to go to the gym or get a hair cut will no doubt bring back some much needed normalcy in what's been a chaotic year. Thankfully, that reality could be approaching sooner than Toronto had hoped.