Province expected to announce today whether GTA, other regions can move on to Stage 2

CP24.com
June 15, 2020

The premier is expected to announce today whether residents in the GTA will be able move on to the second stage of the province’s reopening plan later this week.

Restaurants, hair salons and many other businesses were given the green light to reopen in a number of cities around the province on Friday as part of Stage 2.

Regions with higher numbers of COVID-19 cases, including the GTA, Hamilton and the regions of Niagara, Windsor-Essex, Lambton, and Haldimand-Norfolk, were not permitted to move on to the next stage last week.

Speaking to reporters at a news conference last Monday, Premier Doug Ford said that these regions could enter Stage 2 by as early as June 19.

 Mayor John Tory said while there may be “some good news” today, Torontonians should “look at the numbers, not at the calendar.”

“I don't know the inside information in terms of ultimately the decision, but I would just say that I think the premier is quite properly, and the medical officer of health, taking a cautious approach about Toronto,” he said during an interview with CP24 on Monday morning.

“We just don' t want to do this too soon and end up with very terrible consequences.”

There has been a notable decline in case growth in the province over the past week and hospitalizations also continue to rapidly decline.

The province reported 197 new cases of the virus on Sunday, 266 new cases on Saturday, and 182 on Friday.

The majority of new cases continue to be concentrated in the GTA.

Tory said the medical officers of health in the GTHA met yesterday to discuss whether their regions are ready to reopen.

“In the end, he (Ford) has made it very clear it is going to be based on the advice of the medical officer of Ontario,” Tory said.

The mayor said he understands the struggles businesses are facing right now, adding that he heard from business owners along the Danforth this weekend who are eager to reopen their shops.

“I heard the pain being experienced by a lot of the shop owners,” he said. “They need to open as soon as possible but we need to put public health first.”

Premier Doug Ford will be speaking at Queen's Park at 1 p.m. today alongside Health Minister Christine Elliott, Finance Minister Rod Phillips, Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli, and Lisa MacLeod, minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.