'STRONGEST POSSIBLE MESSAGE': State of emergency declared in Toronto

Torontosun.com
March 24, 2020
Bryan Passifiume

For the first time in the city’s history, Toronto Mayor John Tory declared a state of emergency.

The order was signed Monday afternoon after Tory consulted with Dr. Eileen de Villa, the city’s chief medical officer, and Matthew Pegg, fire chief and emergency manager.

“This declaration sends the strongest possible message that I can to the people of Toronto,” he said, urging residents to stay home.

“Stay at home, stay safe, and buy only essential supplies, perhaps once a week.”

As cases of coronavirus continue to climb and one day after Toronto recorded its first coronavirus-related death   Tory said the decision to implement the order wasn’t taken lightly.

“We need to do everything we can to run down the curve on COVID-19,” he said.

“This is a battle we must win, but only if we all join together.”

The measure, he said, allows him for 30 days to make decisions without having to go through council specifically concerning issues not covered under the provincial declaration made last week.

That, he said, could include curfews.

“There’s been no discussion about it, because frankly there’s been no need of one,” he said.

“People, if they follow the rules, that’s exactly what will happen, they’ll stay off the streets.”

Tory said he was angered by images in the media of people overtly shirking social distancing recommendations, calling those people “selfish” and putting the health of the city at risk.

While the city’s current measures to limit gatherings on playgrounds and basketball courts consists entirely of signage, Tory said he’s in discussions to possibly escalate measures including removing basketball hoops or more.

“We cannot have people in close proximity, playing these games where people are in physical contact,” he said.

“Even when it comes to taking a walk people need to change their habits.”

Among those services deemed essential are the city’s safe-injection sites, which Tory said should remain open.

“What they’re doing is saving lives,” he said, describing the city’s decision to keep them open as obligatory.

“That’s what the entire announcement today is about, that’s what the supervised injection sites are about, and so they should remain open as a means of making sure we can care for people who are very vulnerable.”

While the declaration gives Tory unprecedented power in running the city, he said he’ll be held to account for his decisions.

“I can assure people, and I think they trust me in this regard, to exercise those powers given to me,” Tory said.