Ontario’s pandemic golf ban could end before June 2, health minister hints

Yorkregion.com
May 18, 2021

Ontario golfers could be permitted to hit the links before the pandemic stay-at-home order is lifted June 2, says Health Minister Christine Elliott.

She said Monday that golf courses, tennis and basketball courts and other outdoor amenities will be allowed to open as soon as Dr. David Williams, the chief medical officer of health, deems it safe.

“It may be very soon. It may be June 2 or perhaps even before that, but today is not the day to open everything up,” said Elliott in opposing a legislative motion by the New Democrats to reopen outdoor sports.

“We are reviewing the evidence on a daily basis, speaking with Dr. Williams and other ... medical advisers,” the minister said, noting health officials remain concerned about the spread of COVID-19, which has killed almost 8,500 Ontarians in the past 14 months.

“Our numbers are still too high, and our hospitalizations. The Ontario Hospital Association is not in favour of opening all outdoor activities at this point. Our numbers are still high in intensive care units,” she said.

Williams said that as Ontario’s daily number of new infections drops, “we’re getting more optimistic about the range of outdoor activities” that will be permitted, provided participants keep their two-metre physical distance and wear masks if they cannot.

“Our science table has given us advice on ... increasing evermore on our outdoor activities,” the province’s top public health official said.

“We’re looking seriously at those at this time and we hope to have some news and updates in the near future on that,” he said, insisting the main concerns are “pre-golf and post-golf congregant activity (and) crowding a number of people into golf carts without (the) protection” of masks.

“We’re going for the end game, which is a safe summer.”

That suggests there could be some changes in time for the upcoming Victoria Day long weekend.

As disclosed by the Star, there is much internal pressure on Premier Doug Ford from Progressive Conservative MPPs, whose constituency offices are being flooded with calls from angry golfers.

Ford, who extended a “stay-at-home” order to June 2 that was to end Wednesday, has stressed the ban on golf and other sports was mostly about keeping people from moving around and socializing.

“I get some docs saying, ‘No, we have to limit mobility and stay at home.’ I talk to my buddies, I know what happens. They pick up another buddy, two or three. They go ... golfing ... then after golf, they go back, they have a few pops. That’s the problem,” the premier said Thursday.

NDP MPP Sara Singh (Brampton Centre) disputed that rationale.

“It’s clear that no one asked for this -- not the science table, not the medical experts, not Ontarians. No one thinks this is a good idea,” she said.

Singh pushed the motion, which the Tories voted down, to “allow outdoor amenities and activities to immediately reopen safely, in keeping with the recommendations of the ... science table and other public health experts, as part of an overall effort to promote the mental and physical health of Ontarians during COVID-19 lockdown orders.”

But Elliott emphasized the ball is in the court of Williams and other public health officials.

“We listen to what they are saying,” she said, adding the government also wants the advice of the 34 local medical officers of health across Ontario.

Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca said “this prolonged shutdown of outdoor activities, against nearly all medical advice, has had a huge impact on mental health.

“The science table specifically recommended ‘keeping people safely connected by maintaining social connections and outdoor activity,’” said Del Duca.

Green Leader Mike Schreiner said the government should “focus on where the outbreaks are happening -- vulnerable workplaces and ... reopen safe outdoor activities.”

“This is an equity issue ... not everyone has a yard to play in and not everyone can work from home,” said Schreiner.