The province of British Columbia is moving into Step 2 of its Restart Plan as of June 15, with vaccination rates well over the goal originally set for mid-June.

Premier John Horgan made the announcement at a press conference on Monday morning, alongside Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix.

“We are on track to meet all of our milestones,” said Horgan.

The Plan initially called for the vaccination rate of adult British Columbians to be above 65% to safely move into Step 2. Over three-quarters of adult British Columbians have received at least their first dose of vaccine by June 14.

This next step will mean the relaxing of a number of COVID-19 restrictions put in place when the Plan was announced in May.

The ban on regional travel within BC is to be lifted, though residents are still being asked not to travel outside of the province.

Movies theatres will once again be open, as well as banquet halls. These indoor gathering spots, as well as restaurants, will be able to host events of up to 50 people.

Indoor religious ceremonies can be up to 10% capacity, or 50 people, whichever number is higher.

High intensity indoor fitness can also resume, with COVID-19 safety precautions put in place.

In the sporting world, outdoor games can host up to 50 spectators, while the ban on indoor sporting events has been lifted for all ages.

In Step 2, spectators are still not allowed for indoor sports.

“Thanks to our collective efforts and commitment to get vaccinated, we are ready to take another step forward in our careful restart,” said Horgan. “This next step means seeing more of the people we love, visiting more of our favourite places and safely celebrating the major milestones we’ve missed. Better days are in sight, but we must continue to do our part, get vaccinated, keep our layers of protection strong and work together to put this pandemic behind us.”

Dr. Henry said she is confident in British Columbians to safely move to Step 2.

“The data shows us that with strong safety plans in place and all of us continuing to use our layers of protection, we can now increase our much-needed social connections a little bit more. Whether it is travelling to visit family in BC, having a small wedding or watching your child’s soccer game, these are the things we have all missed.”

The targeted date for Step 3, which would see the elimination of mandatory masks, is set for July 1.