The province is allowing a number of additional businesses to resume operations starting May 4, including garden centres and lawn care and maintenance companies.

The announcement was made by Premier Doug Ford at Queen's Park on Friday afternoon.

"Based on our framework, based on our robust health and safety guidelines, it is clear that right now there are certain businesses and workplaces that can operate safely, Ford said Friday. 

"That means they can physically distance their staff and customers, they can put in physical barriers, they can provide contact-free services, or they work outside and are isolated."

The province has also expanded the list of essential construction work, which now includes municipal projects, colleges and universities, child care centres, and schools.

Golf courses and marinas will be permitted to "prepare for the upcoming season" but cannot yet open to the public.

Ford said the list of new businesses that can open was developed in consultation with Ontario's chief medical officer of health.

"Today we are able to move forward with opening a small, small list of very specific businesses," he said. "Many of these are seasonal businesses that we are confident can operate safely as long as they comply with public health measures and workplace guidelines."

Friday's announcement came just one day after the provincial government released sector-specific health and safety guidelines for industries to follow when they are given the green light to reopen.

The guidelines mainly focus on improving sanitation and physical distancing measures.

When asked what businesses will be permitted to reopen in the next round, Ford would not provide details.

“We are going to follow the framework and the guidelines,” he said. “Let’s see two weeks of real positive results.”

The province previously said it would restart Ontario’s economy in three stages, allowing more businesses to reopen at each phase of the process.

Each stage is expected to last for between two and four weeks.

Ford said the plan, which was notably short on specifics, is more of “a road map” than “a calendar.”

Ontario has seen a decline in the number of new lab-confirmed cases reported in the province this week.

“We’re flattening the curve, we ‘re heading in the right direction,” Ford said Friday. “We have reason to be optimistic – as the trends continue downwards, as we continue seeing a reduction in community spread, we’re getting closer and closer to opening things back up.”

Full list of businesses that can reopen on May 4:

• Garden centres and nurseries with curbside pick-up and delivery only;

• Lawn care and landscaping;

• Additional essential construction projects that include:

  • shipping and logistics;
  • broadband, telecommunications, and digital infrastructure;
  • any other project that supports the improved delivery of goods and services;
  • municipal projects;
  • colleges and universities;
  • child care centres;
  • schools;
  • and site preparation, excavation, and servicing for institutional, commercial, industrial andresidential development

• Automatic and self-serve car washes;

• Auto dealerships, open by appointment only;

• Golf courses may prepare their courses for the upcoming season, but not open to the public.

• Marinas may also begin preparations for the recreational boating season by servicing boats and other watercraft and placing boats in the water, but not open to the public. Boats and watercraft must be secured to a dock in the marina until public access is allowed.