Ontario extends stay-at-home order in Toronto, Peel, North Bay
Author of the article:
Article content
Toronto, Peel Region and North Bay-Parry Sound are staying in deep lockdown until at least March 8, the Doug Ford government has decided.
York Region will see its stay-at-home order lifted and move to red on the COVID-19 framework.
Recommended Videos
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Ontario extends stay-at-home order in Toronto, Peel, North Bay Back to video
tap here to see other videos from our team.
“I know we’re all tired, I know we have all sacrificed so much, but there is hope on the horizon,” Ford said Friday. “The federal government has assured us that the vaccines that we’re in desperate need of, they’re on their way.”
Local medical officers of health in Toronto and Peel had been pushing for the extended lockdown, arguing the variants of concern (VOC) posed a significant threat of a third wave.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said people should not move between regions to avoid local restrictions.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Depending on where a community falls on the colour-coded COVID-19 framework, residents may or may not access hair cuts, dining-in restaurant services, gym workouts or in-store shopping.
“We don’t want people travelling between regions at this point,” Elliott said.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) said in a statement Friday that the move means indoor dining in Toronto will have been disallowed for 149 straight days.
“With today’s announcement of extended lockdowns for Toronto, Peel and North Bay until at least March 8, the Ontario government has once again chosen to use small business as cannon fodder, renewing its reputation as the least small business-friendly government in the country during the pandemic,” the CFIB statement says. “As of March 8, retailers, gyms, and hair salons will have been closed to in-store customers for 105 consecutive days in Toronto and Peel.”
Toronto, Peel and North Bay-Parry Sound are the only regions of the province still under a stay-at-home order, although Niagara Region is in a grey-lockdown zone.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said the province has already gone too far in its reopenings and should be increasing public health measures.
“New modelling from Dr. Teresa Tam and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has put the threat of the variant into cold, terrifying reality,” Horwath said in a statement. “If we do not do more to stop the spread of the variants, we will face a longer, deeper nightmare and more lockdowns.”
PHAC modelling released this week predicts a spike in coronavirus cases by this spring if more contagious variants of COVID-19 spread widely.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.