Ontario’s stay-at-home will remain in place until “at least” June 2, Premier Doug Ford announced Thursday.
Premier Ford said the province should be able to lift restrictions on outdoor recreation by that date, with more details on reopening plans to follow in the days and weeks after that.
“The situation is slowly trending in the right situation. Make no mistake, we’re not out of the woods yet,” Ford said, adding that his goal is for Ontario to have “the most normal July and August as possible.”
Provincial officials were asked what specific metrics they want to see by June 2 to begin easing public health measures. Neither Ford, Williams, or Health Minister Christine Elliott directly answered the question.
Dr. Williams would only say the province needs to be “well under” 1,000 cases per day for a “number of days.”
Premier Ford did not shed any light about what the province plans to do with in-person learning for students. The premier said some doctors are telling him schools should reopen, but teachers’ unions are saying that cant happen right now.
Meanwhile, last night Premier Ford released another letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau requesting enhanced COVID-19 measures at Canada’s borders, including:
- Reducing the number of international flights coming to Canada, particularly Ontario.
- Mandatory COVID-19 tests for domestic travellers.
- Requiring those crossing at a land border to spend three days in a quarantine hotel.
Premier Ford said he has now sent four letters asking for the various measures without a formal response from the federal government. He went on to point out that the B117 variant, which was first identified in the United Kingdom, is now the dominant strain in Ontario, accounting for almost all new infections.
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