The road to Step 3 and beyond

Plus: A fresh vibe and return-to-work for civil servants, a new Deputy Minister of Health, and Sauble Beach gets the Netflix treatment

Good Friday morning. This is Queen’s Park Observer — about to put my feet up with a margarita in hand, unlike the public service.

ABOVE THE FOLD

There’s a new vibe among the public service now that Cabinet Secretary MICHELLE DIEMANUELE is at the helm — but first, questions are swirling over what comes next in Ontario’s reopening plan.

A key benchmark to exit Step 3 has been met — and we’re on track to hit the rest by August 6, which is 21-days out from the last stage. (The province initially said it would wait that long between reopening phases but hasn’t followed that timeline.)

Checkpoint one: 80 per cent of eligible Ontarians have their first jab.

The other markers: 75 per cent need their second dose — we’re pushing 69 per cent as of yesterday — and no Public Health Unit can have less than 70 per cent double-dosed.

The PHUs may throw a wrench in things. Solicitor General SYLVIA JONES said easing that 70-per-cent threshold is “under discussion” with the top doc and science experts. P…