Waterloo region's businesses 'hoping and praying' to move into Step 2

Some business owners in Waterloo region are anxiously awaiting news of when they might be able to move to Step 2 of Ontario's economic reopening plan — news that could come as early as Tuesday evening at the region's board of health meeting. 

Other businesses in the province entered Step 2 of the Ford government's three-step plan on June 30, but Waterloo region was held back due to high case numbers from the COVID-19 delta variant.

Holly Fuhr, owner Kitchener salon Shear Amazement, said she finds it unfair that other businesses are able to operate while she can't.

"Now, on top of worrying about my business in a regular closure, I am now having to worry about my clients going to other regions."

Carly Kuntz, who owns The Waters Spa in Waterloo, also said it's unfair for businesses such as hers to stay closed.

"We've been closed 10 months out of 16 and a half months," Kuntz said. 

Waterloo region will likely stay in Step 1 until mid-July, according to the region's medical officer of health, Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, though more information is expected at Tuesday's board of health meeting.

Right now, Fuhr depends on selling retail items from her salon and staying active on social media to keep her business relevant. But she said that alone would not help her get through the summer. 

"I am hoping and praying that in the next week or two, that I'm going to be able to work," she said. "But otherwise, I don't know how I'm going to keep my business going this way, it's almost impossible."

Bingemans reopening, with some alterations

Last summer, Big Splash waterpark at Bingemans remained closed for the season, as did other parks across Ontario. Bingemans says it plans to open Wednesday under Step 1, but with some restrictions. Waterslides won't operate and there won't be waves in the wave pool.

Still, company president Mark Bingeman called the reopening "fantastic" news.

"As splash pads are allowed to be opened … and regular pools are allowed to be opened, our pool has been reclassified temporarily," Bingeman said in an interview. 

"The wave pool will be open and available, but the waves will not be operating — it'll just be like a very large pool similar to the others around the region."

Bingeman said opening their doors, even with the alterations, will help his business, as it's been a hard 16 months for the waterpark industry. 

"[Reopening] certainly allows us to bring people back and slowly start easing things in," said Bingeman. 

"It also shows the public that, 'Hey we are operating, we can operate at a certain high level' and just to get people used to getting back into some level of normalcy."