Say goodbye to the colour system, and hello to the three-step program! In advance of the long-weekend, Premier Doug Ford, Health Minister Christine Elliott, and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams made an announcement meant to offer a “transparent and predictable plan” that will guide the province’s re-opening starting this weekend with the re-opening of outdoor recreational amenities. Continue reading “Ford Announces New Three Stage Re-Opening, Outdoor Rec is Back this Weekend”
Premier Doug Ford appeared in front of cameras for the first time in almost two weeks to announce that restrictions on outdoor recreation facilities will be lifted on June 2, but he then blamed snow birds, the Federal government, and people with private jets for the present predicament. Ford explained that Ontario has to say the course to have the “most normal July and August as possible,” but there are still conditions. Continue reading “Ford Intends to Have the “Most Normal July and August as Possible””
Nearly a week after the last time he was in front of cameras, Premier Doug Ford came out of quarantine for a minute on Thursday morning to say he was wrong. Apologizing for the overreach of the COVID restrictions he announced last Friday, Ford appeared emotional as he talked about what he did wrong, why he wants a second chance, and why now is finally the time to get serious about paid sick days. Continue reading “Ford Apologizes for Third Wave Missteps, Promises Plans for Sick Days”
Two more weeks for the stay-at-home order, no more golfing or playgrounds, checkpoints at provincial land borders, all non-essential construction halted, big box retail at 25 per cent capacity max, and no outdoor gatherings with people outside your household. Those are some of the new, more restrictive COVID-19 protection measures announced Friday, but they probably won’t be the most controversial. Continue reading “Ontario Government Closes Playgrounds, Increases Police Powers to Fight COVID”
As the province set a record for the second time this week for the most number of new COVID-19 cases in a single day, Premier Doug Ford took a beating from all opposition parties about his government’s recent action (or inaction depending on your point of view). Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner was among them, and in a statement Thursday he railed against “more game show tactics from Ford.” Continue reading “Schreiner Calls Out “Game Show Tactics” from Ford Government”
Despite progress on vaccine distribution, the Government of Ontario announced Monday afternoon that schools will not being returning to in-person learning after April Break. Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Education Stephen Lecce, and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams made the call even though barely 24 hours ago they were talking about the opposite. Continue reading “No In-Person School Post-April Break, Says Ontario Government”
After several days of sustained pressure, and an increasing number of new daily COVID-19 cases, the Government of Ontario finally bowed to the demands of doctors and public health workers around the province and issued a stay at home order. As of 12:01 am on Thursday, Ontario will be under its third state of emergency order since the start of the pandemic in a last ditch effort to get the virus, and its variants, under control. Continue reading “Submitting to Pressure, Ontario’s Going Back Under State of Emergency”
Our brief flirtation with re-opening the economy is over, and the third wave is officially here. That seems to be the news as the holiday weekend begins with the announcement that all 34 of Ontario’s public health authorities will be initiating a province-wide emergency break on Saturday April 3 at 12:01 am. The rapidly increasing COVID-19 case counts cannot be denied, and the Ontario government is taking drastic action. Continue reading “Ontario Government Slams on Emergency Break for Whole Province”
Ontario was getting back to work on Tuesday. From regions of the province approved for re-opening, to the first day of the new session of the Legislature, returning to some degree of normalcy was the order of the day. At Queen’s Park, Guelph MPP and Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner got back to work with a media availability, and the announcement of a safe back-to-work plan for everyone. Continue reading “Schreiner Introduces Work Safe Plan Just in Time for Provincial Re-opening”
It’s the news everyone wanted to hear! (Sort of.) On the same day that most of Ontario’s school students returned to in-person learning, the Government of Ontario announced their intention to end the state of emergency and start the gradual re-opening of the province this week. Don’t celebrate yet though because all of this is still kind of tepid. Continue reading “Back to the Colour Code: Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph to Reopen February 16”
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