Ontario to drop most mask mandates on March 21, sources say

Ontario will drop most COVID-19 mask mandates includingin schools, restaurants and storesacross the province on March 21, CBC News has learned.

Two sources withPremier Doug Ford's Progressive Conservative government confirmed the information, first reported by the Toronto Star, Tuesday night.

The Ford government liftedallCOVID-19 capacity limits in indoor settings and scrappedits vaccine certificatesystem on March 1. Proof ofvaccination wasno longer requiredat mostrestaurants, gyms and movie theatres.Nightclubs, sporting and concert venues were allowed to get ridof capacity limits and restrictions werealso liftedon social gathering sizes.

At the time, Ford was somewhat vague when commenting on when mask mandates might be lifted, saying they would stay in place for a few more weeks. In anews conference last Thursday, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore told reporters the province could lift its mask mandate by the end of March if key pandemic indicators continue to improve.

The news comes as public health officials say the wave of infections caused by the highly transmissible Omicron variant continues to wane in the province.

Ontario's top doctor will hold a briefing Wednesday morning on the province's plan to "live with and manage COVID-19," replacing what was to be his final planned pandemic news conference originally set for Thursday.

An hour before that, at 10 a.m. Premier Doug Ford is set to make an announcement alongsideDeputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott, the premier's office says. No details have been provided on the topic of the announcement.

Ontario reported another 1,208 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, putting the actual number of new cases around 12,000.

The province reported779people in hospital with COVID-19,down from 914 thistime last week,and 17 more deaths linked to the virus on Tuesday.