Windsor-Essex medical officer of health believes region is ready for Step 2 of reopening
The premier is considering moving Ontario to Step 2 of reopening two days earlier than planned, Windsor-Essex’s medical officer of health believes the region is ready.
Premier Doug Ford is expected make the final decision Wednesday about whether Ontario can move into the next step of its Roadmap to Reopening framework on June 30, instead of the planned July 2, sources say.
“I think that it is something that is possible in our region given what we are seeing in our community,” Dr. Wajid Ahmed said.
WECHU reported five new cases on Wednesday and there are only 54 active cases in the region with no active outbreaks for the first time in eight months.
Ahmed did note, that it is important to look at what is happening in other communities across the province.
“Every community is connected with one another,” he said. “Knowing that the threat of the Delta variant is still a risk in the province, but given what we are seeing I think we will be okay but that’s not something that I can control.”
Ahmed said he has expressed his thoughts to the province that the region is ready to loosen some restrictions and hopes at the right time the province will consider them.
“I have already expressed my opinion about whether we are ready, and I think we are, but we’ll have to wait for the provincial announcement," he said.
The premier was asked about moving up the reopening process on Wednesday at a separate announcement in Toronto, as Ontario’s vaccination rates have already met the target for Step 3 and COVID-19 cases have been trending downward.
“We’re working to get to Stage 2 as quickly as possible and Step 3, as soon as it’s safe, after that,” Ford said.
If Premier Ford decides to bump up Step 2 it would mean the following changes come June 30:
- Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 25 people
- Indoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to five people
- Outdoor dining for up to six people per table
- Essential retail capacity at 50 per cent
- Non-essential retail capacity at 25 per cent
- Larger indoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services with capacity limits
- Overnight camps
- Personal care services where face coverings can be worn at all times
- Outdoor meeting and event spaces
- Outdoor amusement and water parks
- Outdoor sports games, leagues and events
- Outdoor cinemas, performing arts, live music events and attractions
- With files from CTV Toronto's Colin D'Mello and Phil Tsekouras
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.