Office of the Mayor and Council Update
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Thursday, May 7 COVID-19 emergency
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Tomorrow marks the 75th anniversary of VE Day, the day on which Allied forces formally announced the surrender of Germany, which brought the Second World War to a close in Europe.
The celebrations will be subdued, far different from those that had been planned for the last number of months or even years as people around the world want to pay their respects to those who risked their lives for our freedom and celebrate the end of the war.
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To view "They Went to Fight for Freedom" click above.
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On the 40th anniversary of VE Day I made a documentary with Lorne Green for the National Film Board of Canada. It's a film that describes the Canadian effort and sacrifice during World War II.
As we change our way of celebrating all things in life we know we're doing it for the good of everyone we know and love. It's different than the wars that previous generations fought in, but the principles are much the same. And we see we're making progress with the promises of our world starting to reopen, slowly, but surely.
Please scroll to the end of this email for an updated timeline of where we've come from in the COVID-19 emergency and a glimpse into where we're headed in the recovery.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and I urge you to hold the line as we wait for it.
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Items in this update:
- COVID case counts
- Canada has highest rate of death in long-term care settings
- Unknown number of Ontarians dead due to COVID-19
- Video reflection on the first 100 days in Canada
- Deaths per million around the globe and close to home
- Greenspace to re-open this weekend
- Lakeshore Road construction continues
- Promation develops low-cost ventilator in just two weeks
- Ontario funds innovative Oakville company to help fight COVID-19
- Clean Works uses innovation and SMART Digital Dosing to fight COVID-19
- Upcoming webinars about gardening, library resources
- Pandemic pay website now available
- Ontario protecting forestry jobs and worker safety
- Cottagers can travel during May 24 long-weekend
- Supermarkets on wheels get ready to roll into the neighbourhood
- The pandemic paradox: Canadians asked to go out and face threat that kept them inside for weeks
- Millions more Americans unemployed this week
- Russian COVID cases continue to rise
- Germany launches 'emergency brake'
- Is the cure for COVID in the Rocky Mountains?
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Total confirmed cases in Halton have increased by
6
cases from 500 cases yesterday to
506
with
1
more confirmed case in Oakville, from 170 to
171
. There were also
4
recoveries in Oakville from 141 to
145
. That leaves just 26 active cases in Oakville today.
Regionally, community spread has increased from 40 per cent to 42 per cent since the last surveillance report.
As of 11 a.m. Thursday, Ontario’s regional health units are reporting a total of 20,087 confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19, including 1,552 deaths.
The 472 new cases reported province-wide since the same time Wednesday morning was up more than 150 from the previous day’s tally. Ontario’s regional health units are reporting another 64 deaths from COVID-19.
Ontario is reporting that the number of people in hospital on ventilators dropped from 174 to 155. The province also reported that 15,179 patients were tested Wednesday. It’s still shy of the daily target of 16,000 that’s expected to get a better picture of the virus’s spread.
In Ontario, more than 200 Canadian Armed Force members have been deployed to long-term care facilities.
There are 63,895 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Canada with 4,280 deaths. Reports indicate that 44 per cent of cases have recovered with more than one million Canadians having been tested to date. Positive rate is just six per cent.
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Canada has highest rate of death in long-term care settings
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According to a study by the International Long-Term Care Policy Network, Canada has the highest proportion of COVID-19 related deaths in long-term care settings among 14 counties. The deaths of residents in long-term care accounted for 62 per cent of all deaths from the virus in Canada as of the weekend.
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Unknown number of Ontarians dead due to COVID-19
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According to The Toronto Star, the province of Ontario is refusing to publicly release data that could reveal the number of people who have died in the province since COVID-19 emerged.
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Video reflection on the first 100 days
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In this video update,
Dr. Andy Thompson reflects on what we’ve experienced during the first 100 days of COVID-19 in Canada from January 25, 2020 to May 4, 2020.
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Deaths per millions around the globe and close to home
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Greenspace to re-open this weekend
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In our continued efforts to bring services back to the community, we are reopening parkland greenspace for neighbourhood use as of Saturday, May 9. Families and groups of less than five can now stay longer in the parks and play games, or throw a Frisbee, kick a ball around, or fly a kite as long as they practice physical distancing.
Cemeteries will also be re-open as of Saturday.
Recently you may have noticed the federal, provincial and regional health authorities have shifted their messages from “stay at home” to “maintain physical distancing”. The provincial emergency orders still remain in effect restricting use of park amenities and group sizes to five. The town’s Physical Distancing by-law also continues to apply on all public property.
Through the start of our Park Ambassador program on Monday, May 11, town staff will be able to educate the public and promote safe use of neighbourhood greenspace by families and individuals without overburdening municipal enforcement staff.
Those who congregate in parks or use closed amenities will still be fined under the provincial emergency order. As a reminder, closed outdoor recreational amenities include:
- playgrounds and play structures
- sports fields, such as soccer fields and baseball diamonds
- skateboard parks
- basketball courts
- tennis courts
- outdoor picnic sites and shelters
- beaches
- off-leash dog areas
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Lakeshore Road construction continues
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Lakeshore Road construction crews have been present throughout the COVID-19 crisis and have only lost one day due to inclement weather. The project is on schedule with much work already complete, including:
Douglas to Allan
- Installation of sanitary sewer
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Allan to Reynolds
- Backfilling Silva Cells with planting soil
- Commenced removal of old concrete road base
Reynolds to Trafalgar
- Disinfection and testing of new watermain
- Connection of new valve chamber at Trafalgar
- Duct work in Trafalgar intersection
As work continues, this is what's happening now:
Allan to Reynolds
- Removal of old concrete road base
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- Preparation for granite curb installation at Allan intersection
Reynolds to Trafalgar
- Sanitary sewer replacement – Reynolds intersection
- Preparation for Silva Cell excavation
- Watermain connection at Trafalgar
Phase One Navy to Dunn
- Asphalt removal
- Installation of granite pavers
- Granite curb repairs south/west corner of Navy
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Promation develops low-cost ventilator in two weeks
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Promation, an Oakville-based custom design and manufacturing firm, is being lauded by Toronto scientists and industry experts at University Health Network (UHN), University of Toronto (U of T), and Mackenzie Innovation Institute (Mi²) for the fast development of a low-cost ventilator in response to the potential of a sudden surge in demand due to COVID-19 or other future emergencies.
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Ontario funds innovative Oakville company to help fight COVID-19
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The province is providing Virox Technologies Inc. with $850,000 from the Ontario Together Fund to help the local manufacturer double its production of disinfectants and create jobs. Virox is the first manufacturer to receive money from the Ontario Together Fund. The project will create 20 full- and part-time jobs and help retain 120 positions in Oakville.
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Clean Works uses innovation and SMART Digital Dosing to fight COVID-19
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Due to the shortage of N95 masks and other PPE, Clean Works Medical, has seen an increased demand from healthcare providers and industries for the Clean Flow Health Care Mini and the chemical dosing pumps that are critical to its functionality.
Grundfos worked with its global operations teams to quickly meet the increased demand for DDA dosing pumps to sanitize equipment that protects frontline workers.
Clean Works Medical is now working with the federal and provincial governments, as well as hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities, to help supply sanitized equipment during the pandemic using Grundfos' pumps.
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Upcoming webinars about gardening, library resources
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OakvilleReady is hosting two upcoming webinars: May 11 at 2 p.m. on Square Foot Gardening with Halton Food and May 13 at noon on Get Access to the Library Online to learn more about how to get a virtual library card or using your existing card to access resources, online tools, audiobooks and more on the Oakville Public Library.
All OakvilleReady webinars are available on their
website
.
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Pandemic pay website now available
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Last night, the Ontario government launched a new pandemic pay website. While little information about the program is available the government has said that eligible employees will be contact by May 15.
The Prime Minister today announced that all provinces and territories have confirmed, or are in the process of confirming, plans to cost share wage top-ups for their essential workers.
The Government of Canada will provide up to $3 billion in support to increase the wages of low-income essential workers. Each province or territory will determine which workers would be eligible for support, and how much support they will receive.
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Ontario Releases Plan to Resume Scheduled Surgeries and Procedures
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The Ontario government has developed a comprehensive framework to help hospitals assess their readiness and begin planning for the gradual resumption of scheduled surgeries and procedures, while maintaining capacity to respond to COVID-19. Timelines will vary from hospital to hospital and be conditional on approval by regional oversight tables involved with planning and coordinating Ontario's response to COVID-19.
- A stable number of COVID-19 cases;
- A stable supply of personal protective equipment;
- A stable supply of medications;
- An adequate capacity of inpatient and intensive care unit beds;
- An adequate capacity of health human resources; and
- The availability of post-acute care outside the hospital that would be required to support patients after discharge.
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Ontario Protecting Forestry Jobs & Worker Safety
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The Ontario government is protecting people and jobs in northern, rural and Indigenous communities, while supporting long-term forest sustainability, by investing in protective measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 during the upcoming tree planting season.
Today, John Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, announced the government is making $3.5 million available to help put protective measures in place for the workers who plant trees this season.
Funds will be used for larger camp facilities and additional kitchens to provide more space, as well as extra personal protective equipment, plastic partitions for transporting workers and more wash stations.
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Cottagers can travel during May 24 long-weekend
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In a statement Thursday after a conference call with rural mayors, the premier implored Ontarians to play it safe and responsible by not socializing or making too many pit stops en route.
“We are still battling a terrible virus, so we are asking seasonal residents travelling to their cottages to practise the same public health measures as usual, including no public gatherings, avoiding non-essential travel as much as possible, and continue to practise social distancing.”
Ford emphasized that that the mayors appealed to him to discourage day trippers from visiting Muskoka, Haliburton, and other bucolic regions.
Some rural mayors have been urging city dwellers to stay away because there have been relatively few coronavirus cases outside the Greater Toronto Area and other urban centres and they fear small-town hospitals could be swamped.
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Like giant ice cream trucks, supermarkets on wheels get ready to roll into the neighbourhood
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Consumers are being offered a growing number of new ways to bring home groceries. But instead of waiting in line outside a supermarket or trying to schedule a high-demand slot for pick up or delivery services, a fleet of trucks that will operate like a supermarket on wheels is ready to roll into neighbourhoods this summer.
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London researchers first to treat COVID-19 with specialized dialysis
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Researchers in London, Ont., say they’ve been able to treat
COVID-19
with a specialized dialysis procedure, marking a global first in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
The team is made up of scientists from the Lawson Health Research Institute who used a modified dialysis device to conduct the treatment.
The device works by reprogramming a patient’s white blood cells to fight hyperinflammation, a symptom that’s been associated with the body’s response to COVID-19.
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Canadians to face threat that kept them inside for weeks
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The virus that made it too dangerous to go out still exists but Canadians are being asked to face it. How do we navigate the risk? This CBC story looks at what rights Canadians have and what returning to work might involve.
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Millions more Americans unemployed this week
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Millions more Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, suggesting layoffs broadened from consumer-facing industries to other segments of the economy and could remain elevated even as many parts of the country start to reopen.
The U.S. Labor Department's weekly jobless claims report on Thursday showed initial jobless claims for state unemployment benefits totalled a seasonally adjusted 3.169 million for the week ended May 2, down from a revised 3.846 million in the prior week.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 3.0 million claims in the last week compared to the previously reported 3.839 million in the week ending April 25.
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Russian COVID cases continue to rise
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Russian health officials reported more than 11,000 new coronavirus cases on Thursday — a record daily spike which brought the country’s total over 177,000 confirmed cases.
Russia’s official caseload has thus surpassed that of Germany and France, becoming the 5th largest in the world. The actual number of cases is likely to be much higher as not everybody is getting tested and many people infected with the virus don’t show any symptoms.
Last week, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin suggested in his blog that as many as two per cent of Moscow’s 12.7 million population — more than 200,000 people — may be infected with the coronavirus. Moscow has currently registered about 93,000 confirmed cases.
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Germany launches ‘emergency brake’
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Germany's public health agency has cautiously welcomed the "emergency brake" agreed to by federal and state authorities should coronavirus cases rebound, but warned that the pandemic is far from over.
Lars Schaade, deputy head of the Robert Koch Institute, said Thursday that setting a level of 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants for reimposing lockdown measures was a "pragmatic threshold that I believe in principle is sensible." But he noted that Germany remains "at the start of the pandemic," adding that "it can last many months and it will probably continue into the next year."
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Is the cure for Covid in the Rocky Mountains?
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Learn about the rural lab that's been fighting mysterious diseases for more than 100 years in this New York Times article by clicking the photo.
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Oakville Youth Week goes virtual
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Share your photos using #OakvilleYouth.
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United Way virtual campaign
Friday, May 8, 2020
12:00-12:30 P.M.
Attire is comfortable, sneakers and track pants welcomed!
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ALS walk
The virtual edition of the Walk to End ALS event will take place on June 21st.
ALS partner, Brain Canada, is offering a dollar for dollar match of up to $1 million to invest in promising ALS research.
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Food Banks experiencing record demand
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Oakville's food banks are in record-breaking demand. If you can donate anything, please do. Your help is needed.
Kerr Street Mission:
905-845-7485 or donate online at kerrstreet.com
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Oakville Meals on Wheels continues to operate
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Oakville Meals on Wheels continues to operate under increased safety measures. I
f you know or are aware of someone who is struggling, call 211 and get help to navigate the network of health, community and social service programs. This service is offered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and has interpretation for over 150 languages. And, if you are able, please consider supporting the Meals on Wheels effort by making a donation.
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Downtown Oakville Instagram live series
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On Wednesday, May 6 Downtown Oakville will be launching a weekly Instagram Live Series hosted by different Downtown businesses. The live events will allow you to purchase products, participate in fitness classes, attend workshops, and more!
Follow @oakvilledowntown on Instagram to learn more and tune in.
Schedule
May 13 at 7 p.m. - Hot Yoga and Pilates
May 20 at 7 p.m. - Fred Astaire Dance Studio
May 27 at 7 p.m. - Downtown Oakville Live Auction
June 3 at 2 p.m. - Lakeshore Yoga
June 10 at 1 p.m. - Makers Mojo
June 17 at 2 p.m. - Must Boutique
June 24 at 7 p.m. - Dr. Adrienne, Naturopathic Doctor
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Call the COVID-19 hotline
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For the duration of the pandemic, if a member of the public wishes to report an incident of non-compliance with the emergency orders, they may contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 Hotline: 905-825-4722
It is critical that our residents use 911 for emergencies only.
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