The Ford government’s “Roadmap to Recovery” is off to a promising start after the province announced Monday that Step 1 will begin a few days ahead of schedule, moving ahead on June 11 instead of the targeted June 14 date.
Premier Doug Ford announced back on May 20 that outdoor amenities would reopen with restrictions in place, revealing the three-step plan in the process.
As Ontario vaccinates more of its population at an accelerated pace, the three steps will be based on that supply and the daily clip at which people get the shot.
The province will also factor in COVID-19 case counts, percent positivity, and hospitalization rates.
As a result, each step will be in place for at least 21 days “to evaluate any impacts on key public health and health system indicators.”
“If at the end of the 21 days, the following vaccination thresholds have been met, along with positive trends in other key public health and health system indicators, then the province will move to the next step,” the government said.
After the stay-at-home order expired on June 2, the Ford government hinted that the reopening plan could be jumpstarted a few days in advance, leading to Monday’s announcement.
Here is how the full plan looks.
Step 1 – 60% of adults vaccinated with one dose
In this step, now confirmed to begin on June 11, we’ll see outdoor activities resume with small, well-managed crowds.
The idea is to ensure that the risk of COVID-19 transmission is minimal, and some retail will be permitted at capacity.
With hospitalizations, ICU occupancy and new admissions going down, this stage will officially commence at 12:01 a.m. Friday.
Taking a look at some examples of businesses, concert venues, theatres and cinemas may open outdoors for the purpose of “rehearsing or performing a recorded or broadcasted concert, artistic event, theatrical performance or other performance with no more than 10 performers, among restrictions.”
For personal training, fitness classes, and sports training, it will be allowed outdoors with 10 people maximum per session, each spaced 3 metres apart.
Will begin: June 11
Outdoor settings:
- Up to 10 people gathered outside
- Up to 4 people per table (patio dining); with exceptions for larger households
- Sports, training, and personal training: Up to 10 people
- Day camps
- Overnight camping at campgrounds and campsites, including Ontario Parks, and short-term rentals
- Ontario Parks
- Horse racing and motor speedways
- Outdoor attractions such as zoos, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens with capacity and other restrictions
- Graduations: The government is enabling school boards for “public and private elementary and high schools” to invite students back for brief outdoor end-of-year celebrations.
Indoor settings:
- Religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services permitted at up to 15% capacity of the particular room
Retail settings:
- Essential retail capacity at 25% (with no restrictions on the goods that can be sold)
- Non-essential retail capacity at 15% (with no restrictions on the goods that can be sold)
Step 2 – 70% of adults vaccinated with one dose, 20% fully vaccinated:
Before this step can begin, 70 per cent of Ontario adults need to have received at least one dose, and 20 per cent need to have received both doses.
There also need to be more positive trends in public health, otherwise, the beginning of Step 2 will be postponed. In this stage, we can expect to see outdoor activities and gatherings increase in size. We’ll also see the resumption of limited indoor services.
Indoor cinemas will be closed but outdoor cinemas can open with some restrictions. As for performing arts centres, they will be closed indoors with the exception of rehearsing or performing a broadcasted event. All outdoor performing centres can open with some capacity restrictions.
Outdoor fitness classes and personal training will be allowed to have 25 people maximum.
Could begin: July 2 or later
Outdoor settings:
- Larger gatherings for up to 25 people
- Dining for up to 6 people per table (patio dining)
- Cinemas, performing arts, live music events and attractions
- Meeting and event spaces
- Amusement and water parks
- Boat tour operators
- County fairs and rural exhibitions
- Outdoor sports leagues and events
- Weddings permitted at capacity, limited to permit at least two metres of physical distancing
Indoor gatherings:
- Gatherings allowed for up to 5 people
- Personal care services (barbers, hair salons, nail salons, etc.): Face covering must be worn at all times
- Religious services, rites or ceremony gatherings at 15% capacity
- Weddings permitted at 15% capacity
Retail settings:
- Essential retail at 50% capacity
- Non-essential retail capacity at 25%
Step 3 – 70-80% of adults vaccinated with one dose, 25% fully vaccinated:
If 21 days after the beginning of Step 2 public health trends continue to head in the right direction – and 70 to 80 per cent of adults have received their first dose with 25 per cent of adults have received their second dose – the province will enter Step 3.
This step will see the resumption of indoor services with larger numbers of peoples, such as cinemas, casinos, and larger religious services.
Both indoor and outdoor gyms will be allowed to open, with some restrictions.
Both indoor cinemas and indoor performing arts centres will be allowed to open with restrictions in place.
Could begin: July 23 or later
Indoor settings:
- Dining
- Larger religious services, rites, and ceremony gatherings
- Casinos and bingo halls
- Meeting and event spaces
- Sports, fitness and recreational facilities (Gyms)
- Seated events
- Attractions and cultural amenities
- Museums, art galleries and libraries
- Other activities from Step 2 permitted to happen indoors
Retail settings:
- Essential and non-essential retail open with limited capacity
Four Muslim family members who were struck and killed in a hit-and-run the northwest end of London, Ont., on Sunday evening were the victims of a pre-meditated, intentional hate crime, police say.
In a news conference on Monday, police said all the victims were from the same family and it is believed they were targeted because of their Islamic faith.
Two women, aged 74 and 44, a 46-year-old man, a 15-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy were struck by a black pickup truck as they waited to cross the street at the intersection of Hyde Park Road and South Carriage Road around 8:40 p.m.
Emergency crews were called to the scene by several 9-1-1 callers.
The 74-year-old woman died at the scene. The other woman, man and 15-year-old girl died in hospital. The 9-year-old boy survived and has serious but not life-threatening injuries.
Family members of the victims have requested that their names not be released at this time. Post-mortems are scheduled for Tuesday.
Police arrested a 20-year-old man from London without incident a short time later, around 10 minutes away from the scene. He was wearing a vest that appeared to be like body armour when he was arrested.
Nathaniel Veltman is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. He was expected to appear in court Monday.
“There is evidence that this was a planned, pre-meditated act motivated by hate. It is believed these victims were targeted because they were Muslim,” said superintendent Paul Waight. “There is no known previous connection between the suspect and the victims.”
Waight would not further elaborate on the kind of evidence gathered and only said it was culled from a variety of sources. However, during questions from the media, he said there was no suspicious online activity to alert police of Veltman’s intentions.
It is unclear if Veltman is a member of a specific hate group, but evidence was gathered from online sources, among others, to determine that the act was a hate crime.
There is no indication at this stage that any other people were involved in the planning and execution of the act, but it has not been ruled out, Waight said.
He added that the RCMP has been in contact with the London Police Service and they will be “liaising with them in terms of potential terrorism charges” along with the Ministry of the Attorney General.
The suspect was not known to London police and does not have a previous record of criminal convictions. Waight said he had contact with other police services in the past but “nothing of a very serious nature.”
London Police Chief Steve Williams reassured London’s Muslim community that they are safe.
“We take hate-motivated crime very seriously. We have specially trained investigators who have resources at their disposal to oversee and run these investigations and we will do whatever is required to keep our community safe and we stand with the community, we understand their concerns,” he said.
A witness tells CityNews she saw a large black pickup truck “fly” past her while she was waiting at a red light, shortly before the incident on Sunday.
“It was enough to shake my car and the next car. It was one of those things when you’re in shock and… you just see them blow a couple more red lights,” said Paige Martin. “I just thought it was someone driving very erratically until five minutes later when I was on my way back home. I mostly just saw a whole slew of people just on the ground, waving their arms, just trying to help people. There was a couple of police officers doing compressions.”
“I’m still in shock. I am very shaken up. Knowing that there’s a kid, multiple kids, it’s awful. This family’s just out for a walk. Actually seeing that and hearing about it and being right there, it’s awful and my heart is so broken for them today,” she said through tears. “I feel like this hasn’t sunk in yet for me and I’m just someone who witnessed it, let alone the actual family and everybody involved.”
The Thames Valley District School Board says one of the victims who died in the incident was a student at Oakridge Secondary School.
The statement, issued by the board’s director of education as well as the chair, says the student will be “deeply missed by fellow students and staff,” and the loss will be felt across the entire school board.
It notes the student’s name is being withheld at the request of the family.
The statement says a traumatic events response team will be at the school, as well as others that are affected, for as long as necessary and flags outside all the board’s schools will be lowered until June 11.
It says the board remains “steadfastly committed to combating racism, Islamophobia, and discrimination in all its forms.”
London Muslim community leader and spokesperson Nawaz Tahir called the “horror” of the incident “unfathomable.”
“The London Muslim community has a long history in this city. This is our home and it is as much a part of us as we are a part of it. The individual that did this doesn’t understand that,” he said in a virtual news conference on Monday. “We will stand strong against hate, we still stand strong against Islamophobia. We will respond to those trying to inflict terror on our community with love. Hate will never overshadow the light of love.”
He called on all Canadians to ask themselves how to make sure this never happens again.
“The magnitude of such hatred can make one question who we are as a city and who we are as Londoners,” he said. “We can say ‘this isn’t who we are’ and I know that to be true. Words though, are not enough. We must demonstrate, behave and act on those words. This act of Islamophobia … must be followed by acts of compassion, acts of kindness, of humanity, acts of solidarity, empathy, justice and above all, love,” he said.
Holder expressed his grief for those killed and sent condolences to the family and the broader Muslim community in London, assuring them that the city remains a safe space for them.
“We wrap our collective arms around you today as we grieve and together our hearts will mend,” he said.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims published a statement on Twitter on Monday, writing that the organization is “beyond horrified and demands justice.”
Flags outside London city hall will be lowered for the next three days.
Federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said the federal Intergrated Security Enforcement Team “is engaged in the investigation and working collaboratively with local police.”
An official fundraiser has been setup to help the family. People can donate to it here.
Files from the Canadian Press were used in this report
MONTREAL — Air Canada says its senior executives have chosen to return their 2020 bonuses in response to “public disappointment.”
The airline company says in a news release the president and CEO, as well as executive vice-presidents of Air Canada, have volunteered to return their bonuses and share appreciation units.
Former president and CEO Calin Rovinescu, who retired in February 2021, says he will also donate his share to the Air Canada Foundation.
The statement does not include middle managers, whose bonuses made up more than $8 million of the $10-million bonus program, among those who are volunteering their bonuses.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland signalled her displeasure Wednesday over the multi-million dollar packages handed out to the airline’s executives as the company negotiated a federal bailout, calling the bonuses “inappropriate.”
The airline last Monday disclosed its annual proxy circular to shareholders that gave the bonuses to people the investor document called instrumental in the airline’s survival over the past year as air travel plunged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Air Canada’s leadership team is completely focused on Air Canada’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and preparations to welcome back furloughed colleagues and travelling customers as soon as possible,” Sunday’s statement says.
“The airline looks forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders, notably the Government of Canada on many fronts, including the safe re-start of our industry.”
In April, the airline and government agreed to a $5.9 billion loan package that includes money to help refund passenger tickets, but also capped executive compensation at $1 million until 12 months after the loan is fully repaid.
The government also paid $500 million for a six per cent stake in the country’s biggest airline, which Freeland said was done to ensure taxpayers could benefit once Air Canada’s revenue rises when regular travel resumes.
In early 2020, senior executives and 3,200 management employees voluntarily agreed to total reductions of $11.5 million in their base salaries, subject to compensation through share appreciation units that might allow employees to recover some of the forgone salary if the share price rises higher in December 2022 than December 2020, the company says.
Freeland and Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Canadians “re right to expect responsible corporate behaviour _ particularly with respect to executive compensation _ from companies receiving government financial support during the pandemic.”
“While this situation could have been entirely avoided by Air Canada, we acknowledge this step in the right direction by the top five executives to repay 2020 bonuses and share appreciation units they received,” they said in a joint statement Sunday night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2021.
The archbishop of Toronto expressed “great sorrow” Sunday for the abuse that took place at Canada’s residential schools, though he insisted the prime minister was “unfair” in his calls for the Catholic Church to take more responsibility.
Cardinal Thomas Collins also said it was “very important” when Pope Francis held a moment of silent prayer Sunday in honour of Canadian Indigenous children who died at residential schools and the families who mourn them, despite the pontiff not offering an apology for the Church’s participation in the schools.
Collins expressed sadness for the rampant suffering endured at the institutions, both in an interview with The Canadian Press and in remarks delivered at a service in Toronto.
He said the Church as a whole has also owned up to its role in the system and chastised Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for seeking further action.
“I would think that Mr. Trudeau and his government … should join with us and with the Indigenous people in our journey together,” Collins said in a telephone interview. “We want to work together. These types of sharp comments, which are not based on real fact, are most unfortunate.”
As the Pope addressed his congregation Sunday in the heart of Vatican City, Collins was inviting his own assembly from Toronto’s St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica to bow their heads and honour those who died in Canadian residential schools.
The system targeted Indigenous children for decades, and some 150,000 First Nations, Metis and Inuit children were forcibly sent to the institutions where many suffered abuse and even death.
The issue was propelled back into the national spotlight 10 days ago when the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation in British Columbia announced that the remains of 215 Indigenous children are believed to be buried at an unmarked site at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Ground-penetrating radar confirmed the findings, the First Nation said.
Pope Francis said he is following news of the findings “with pain” after leading the Angelus prayer on Sunday. “I join the Canadian bishops and the entire Catholic Church in Canada in expressing my closeness to the Canadian people traumatized by the shocking news,” he said.
He did not mention Trudeau’s call for him to apologize for the Catholic Church’s role in Canadian residential schools, which came at a Friday news conference. Saskatchewan’s Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations is also demanding an apology from the Pope, saying it is the right thing to do.
“This was genocide, and it should be acknowledged as such by the perpetrators, the Church, the Government, and the RCMP,” the organization representing 74 of the province’s First Nations said in a release Sunday.
In response to Trudeau, Collins pointed out that Pope Benedict XVI apologized in 2009 to a delegation from Canada’s Assembly of First Nations for the abuse experienced by children in residential schools. Benedict called the children’s treatment “deplorable” in the same address.
Collins also noted the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, who ran the Kamloops residential school, apologized in 1991.
Trudeau also said Friday he was “deeply disappointed” with the Church’s position on releasing residential school records.
“We’re still seeing resistance from the Church, possibly from the Church in Canada,” he said.
Collins called those remarks “unhelpful,” noting that as far as he understands, the Oblates are releasing whatever documentation they have.
“But I totally agree that everything should be made known,” he said, adding that any information that may be withheld should be released. “This whole residential school system was a terrible thing … we have to repent of that and be deeply careful to ensure it never happens again.”
Lawyer Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond said she appreciates what seems to be a “heartfelt commitment” from the Cardinal to provide unmitigated access to records that would help family members identify residential school victims, especially those from the school in Kamloops.
But those in power have “taken positions contrary to the words expressed today,” Turpel-Lafond, the director of the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at the University of British Columbia, said in an email Sunday.
She, too, called on “the highest authority in the Church” to apologize and direct that all records and archival material be released without exceptions.
“Leaving First Nations in limbo to engage with the dozens of church congregations, past and present, does not reflect a fulsome human rights approach,” she said. “Canada needs to do better.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2021.
The federal government has approved a plan that would see NHL teams cross the Canada-U.S. border for the final two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs without having to quarantine.
Team members will travel, both in and out of the country, using private planes and will be tested for COVID-19 pre- and-post arrival in addition to daily testing.
Throughout playoff rounds that require cross-border travel, players will live in a modified quarantine bubble that includes the team hotel and the arena when in Canada.
The measures mandate that there will be no sharing of facilities between players and the general public, and players must severely limit their time interacted with the public in both Canada and the United States.
A two-week isolation period is currently required for all non-essential travellers entering the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this year, NHL players and personnel were granted a special dispensation before this year’s NHL trade deadline in April that required only a seven-day quarantine.
“The National Hockey League is very appreciative of the decision by the Canadian government and the Federal health officials to allow the Canadian team that advances to the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals and, potentially, the Final, to host games in their own rinks,” read a statement released by deputy NHL commissioner Bill Daly.
Currently the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens are playing in the North Division final with the winner moving on to the Stanley Cup semifinal against one of three American-based teams.
In a best-of-seven series, one team traditionally hosts Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 and the other hosts Games 3, 4 and 6.
The NHL had said it was considering having the Canadian division winner relocate to the U.S. for the final two rounds if it could not secure approval from government.
Other Canadian professional sports teams have had to relocate to the U.S. to avoid cross-border travel.
Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays started their season playing home games in Dunedin, Fla., and began calling Buffalo home this week.
Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, CF Montreal and Vancouver Whitecaps have relocated to Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Sandy, Utah, respectively.
Major League Rugby’s Toronto Arrows are now based in Marietta, Ga., while the NBA’s Toronto Raptors recently completed their season in Tampa.
Canadian pro teams in many leagues outside the NHL have a larger majority, if not a full complement, of rivals in the U.S., making cross-border travel a requirement if they are to play in Canada.
The statue of Egerton Ryerson on the campus of Toronto’s Ryerson University was brought down on Sunday.
It’s not known who toppled the statue or the exact time when the incident occurred.
A social media video from the scene showed the statue being pulled down off its pedestal with a rope, while a small crowd cheered nearby.
Later in the evening, another video posted to Twitter appeared to show a group of people attempting to cut the head off the statue.
Toronto police said they are aware of the incident, and said they believe the statue was knocked down after a protest downtown.
The statue had been vandalized earlier this week, and had been covered in red paint and graffiti that reads “show the world how many of us you have murdered”, “dig them up” and “land back.”
A focus of fierce debate in recent years, activist groups, students and faculty had been asking for the monument to be removed.
Egerton Ryerson was one of the architects of Canada’s residential school system, which sought to convert and assimilate Indigenous children into Canadian culture and saw them suffer widespread physical and sexual abuse. He died in 1882.
The discovery in Kamloops, B.C., of what are believed to be the remains of 215 Indigenous children at a former residential school has intensified the discussion of the role these schools have played in Canada’s long colonial history.
Ryerson University has addressed the statue issue in the past. In 2010, the university published a statement saying that while Ryerson did not implement or oversee residential schools, his beliefs “influenced, in part, the establishment of what became the Indian Residential School system.”
Eight years later, the school added a sign beside the statue that read, in part: “As Chief Superintendent of Education, Ryerson’s recommendations were instrumental in the design and implementation of the Indian Residential School System.”
More recently, there have even been calls to rename Ryerson University, with the school’s journalism department saying on June 2 it would rename two of its publications ahead of the new school year, dropping any reference to the man the school is named after.
Files from Dilshad Burman, Lucas Casaletto and the Canadian Press were used in this report
Ontario has updated its guidance on second doses for people who received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine to allow for mixing vaccines.
Beginning Friday, anyone who received their first shot of AstraZeneca will be able to choose between a second dose of the same vaccine or an mRNA shot.
Both second dose options will be available at the recommended 12-week interval so only those who got the first shot 12 weeks ago will be eligible initially.
Individuals who want the second dose of AstraZeneca can contact the pharmacy or primary care provider where they received their first to book an appointment. If they would like to receive an mRNA vaccine as a second dose they can make an appointment at a pharmacy where Pfizer or Moderna are being offered.
The province says some pharmacies or primary care setting could also be reaching out to eligible residents.
Starting next week, a ‘second dose only’ option will become available through the online provincial booking system for those who want Pfizer or Moderna for the second shot. Eligible residents will also be to book through public health units that use their own booking system.
“Nothing is more important than the health of Ontarians, and for the best protection against COVID-19 it is vital that everyone who received the AstraZeneca vaccine for their first dose receives a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine,” said Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health.
“We are providing individuals who have received only their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine with two recommended options based on the available data and evidence and will continue to work with Health Canada to monitor the quality and efficacy of all COVID-19 vaccines being used in Ontario.”
The updated guidance from the province is aligned with the latest recommendation from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).
NACI updated its guidance to recommend that the second shot of an mRNA vaccine, Moderna or Pfizer, can be the follow-up to the first dose of AstraZeneca.
NACI also says individuals that received the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna should be offered the same mRNA shot. If supply does not allow for that, the health committee says those who received the first shot of Pfizer could, then, get a second dose of Moderna or vice versa.
Ontario announced last week it was moving forward with accelerating second COVID-19 vaccine doses with possible intervals as short as four weeks.
The accelerated second dose plan aims to have the majority of Ontario residents who choose to get the vaccine be fully vaccinated by the end of summer.
The province hit another vaccine milestone on Tuesday as pharmacies celebrated over one million doses administered.
The CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association tweeted out the figure and thanked all pharmacy professionals involved in getting shots into arms.
Select pharmacies in the province have been administering AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Pfizer.
Justin Bates says with continued shipments of Moderna and Pfizer, they’re hoping to increase the amounts for pharmacies with high demand.
He also says they’re expecting a new batch of AstraZeneca to arrive for second doses at those original pharmacies that were part of a pilot project.
A bill creating a statutory holiday to commemorate the tragic legacy of residential schools in Canada received royal assent Thursday after passing unanimously in the Senate.
The swift passage of Bill C-5 means Sept. 30 will become the first of what is to be an annual national day for truth and reconciliation.
Both houses of Parliament were prompted to fast-track the bill after last week’s grisly discovery of what are believed to be the remains of 215 Indigenous children in unmarked graves at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.
The bill creates a statutory holiday for employees in the federal government and federally regulated workplaces.
Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault told the Senate on Thursday that the objective is to create a chance for Canadians to learn about and reflect on a dark chapter in their country’s history and to commemorate the survivors, their families and their communities — as called for by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Indigenous leaders.
The “terrible” discovery of children’s remains in Kamloops is “a stark reminder of the heavy toll of our colonial past,” Guilbeault said in French.
“Addressing the consequences of colonial violence needs to go beyond words … Bill C-5 is an important step in the path towards reconciliation, which won’t be achieved in the blink of an eye.”
Over the course of more than 100 years, some 150,000 Indigenous children were ripped from their families and forced to attend church-run residential schools, where many suffered physical and sexual abuse, malnutrition and neglect. More than 4,000 are believed to have died.
Although unanimously supported in the Senate, Guilbeault did face some questions about the cost of creating a new national holiday and whether it is simply an empty symbolic gesture.
Conservative Senate leader Don Plett noted that the government has been slow to implement the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, including those dealing with locating and commemorating grave sites at residential schools.
“Why, minister, did you choose to focus on this call of action (to create a national day for truth and reconciliation) and not on other ones?” Plett asked.
“Minister, is it because it’s easier to give bureaucrats (a holiday), because really it’s bureaucrats that get the day off here, than to work on the more pressing but difficult issues that are facing Indigenous communities every day of the week?”
Plett further questioned how the government can ensure it is day of commemoration and not simply a “day to stay home and put up our feet and watch TV.”
Guilbeault acknowledged that the government can’t force people to use the day to reflect on the trauma caused by residential schools. But he expressed hope that it will be similar to Remembrance Day, creating an opportunity to educate and remind Canadians about the history of residential schools, honour the victims and celebrate the survivors.
“Let’s use that day as a day of reflection but also a day of learning,” he said.
Guilbeault could not offer any details of federal plans to mark the first truth and reconciliation day on Sept. 30. Commemorations should be Indigenous-led, he said.
Officials estimated that the day off will cost the federal government almost $166 million each year, mainly in lost productivity, and another $223 million for federally regulated employers.
Are patios coming sooner than expected? It remains unclear, but Premier Doug Ford’s office says the province will not be entering Step 1 of their reopening plan this weekend.
Ontario’s health hinister did provide a little more insight into the government’s plans when it comes to their reopening tentatively slated for June 14.
“I don’t have a specific date. I don’t think it would be a week earlier but it may be a few days earlier that we may be able to proceed,” Christine Elliott said.
The Premier’s office tells 680 NEWS that “plenty of notice” would be given to businesses so they will be ready to reopen.
Step 1 of the province’s roadmap to reopening requires 60 percent of adults be vaccinated with one dose with hospitalizations, ICU occupancy and new admissions down.
Outdoor settings would expand to 10 people with up to four people able to dine together at a patio per table. Essential retail would be capped at 25 per cent capacity and non-essential retail – such as malls – would resume at 15 per cent capacity.
On the subject of reopening ahead of time, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams said the “data is less promising at this time,” pointing to a concerning rise in cases over the last few days.
On Wednesday, Ford said admitted he is cautiously optimistic the province could reopen just ahead of schedule but denied putting the economy first and ahead of students and teachers.
“I’m so hopeful that as things are going, we may be able to enter Step 1 safely earlier than June 14,” Ford said.
He then backtracked saying that the province would “stick to the plan” in light of the growing delta (B.1.617) variant being reported in Ontario.
Some critics accused the premier of prioritizing the economy over schools – the opposite of the approach championed by the province’s top doctor, who has said repeatedly that he believes schools should be the last to close and the first to open during the pandemic.
“Today [Wednesday], Doug Ford chose patios over schools. Patios over people,” Liberal house leader John Fraser said.
The first dose vaccination rate for eligible residents in Ontario is currently at 66 per cent, beyond where the province said they needed to be for Step 1 of the reopening plan to begin.
Ford says it’s not just vaccination rates that the government is looking at to determine the reopening timeline.
“We’re going to be opening up but we’re going to be opening up cautiously and carefully, very cautiously and very carefully because I do not want to happen what happened before and all of a sudden the cases go up.”
Ontario is reporting 870 new cases of COVID-19 today and 10 more deaths linked to the virus.
Health Minister Elliott says there are 225 new cases in Toronto, 167 in Peel Region and 49 in the Porcupine Health Unit region.
With files from 680 NEWS business editor Richard Southern
An Amber Alert has been issued for an 11-month-old Ottawa infant.
The Ottawa Police Service issued the alert shortly before 4 a.m. Friday for Abby Mathewsie, whom they allege has been abducted. They say she was last seen around 2 a.m. in the area of Carling Avenue and Pinecrest Road.
The Amber Alert names the suspect as a 70-year-old woman named Miriam, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and 130 pounds, with grey hair. She was last seen wearing a light winter coat.
They describe the child as an Indigenous female, with short black hair, and having a feeding tube attached to her nose and wearing a navy-blue Montreal Canadiens “onesy.”
“The Ottawa Police are treating this missing incident as suspicious,” read the public advisory issued by police.
https://twitter.com/DutyInspector/status/1400719086687076353
