'Almost as good as winning the lottery': Waterloo Region enters Step 2

Waterloo Region moves into Step 2 From CTV Kitchener's Natalie van Rooy: Waterloo Region entered Step 2 of the province's reopening plan on Monday.

KITCHENER — Waterloo Region joins the rest of Ontario in Step 2 of the province’s reopening plan on Monday, and many businesses have been busy getting ready.

Taline Kazazian was excited to reopen her salon and spa on Monday.

“Honestly this is almost as good as winning the lottery,” the owner of Ku’r Salon & Spa said. “Even better at this point.”

The region entered Step 2 at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, allowing personal care services to operate at 25 per cent capacity, with masks needed to be worn at all times.

“I called over 400 people [this weekend], and not one person said to me I’m sorry we went elsewhere,” said Kazazian. “My biggest worry was when Toronto opened up two weeks ago and we were still shut down that I was going to lose everyone.”

Greg Rogalla, the owner of Azure Aqua Spa, opened his business two months before the pandemic hit and has been on a roller coaster during the ongoing closures.

“It’s been a long time coming,” he said. “We certainly have a wait list and it will keep the esthetician’s bustling, we’ll be open seven days a week.”

Luxe Nail Bar in Uptown Waterloo welcomed clients back at 10 a.m. Monday. Owner Andrew Vojdani said opening day was going well so far, and staff had a waitlist ready before clients were allowed back inside.

Vojdani siad some people did choose to travel outside of the region to get services when the rest of Ontario moved into Step 2 ahead of Waterloo Region.

"It's purely convenience," Vojdani said. "We definitely have a lot of our clients coming back and a lot of new ones."

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic got a hair cut on Monday morning. He said reopening is an exciting step for the region.

As businesses are getting ready for the loosening restrictions on Monday, more might be coming on Friday when Waterloo Region enters Step 3 with the rest of the province.

For this to happen, regional officials say vaccination is key.

“We’re partnering with GRT again to set up a vaccine bus where we can make our vaccine more mobile and take it to people who need it,” said Vickie Murray of the Region of Waterloo. “Intake forms for businesses are being offered, clinics are trying to do more to reach out, more drive thru clinics will be offered too.”

The goal for the region is to get at least 80 per cent of residents fully vaccinated.