Office of the Mayor and Council Update
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Monday June 8 COVID-19 emergency
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Phase 2 of the Province's reopening plan could come as soon as June 19 to Oakville, according to today's announcements by the Premier. He also announced that areas outside the GTA, Hamilton, Niagara area and the Windsor area can enter Phase 2 as soon as this Friday.
This allows everyone to get ready and know what's coming.
Part of what we know is coming is that the Province has removed the last roadblock to restaurants extending outdoor patio spaces. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario will leave permitting to municipalities. Oakville has already cleared the decks for our restaurants by removing fees and permitting restaurants to use Town land such as parking spaces and sidewalks.
Also encouraging is the fact that as of Friday, we’ll be able to gather a little more, in groups of 10 and less. Though we will have to maintain physical distancing measures in these groups, I know many people are looking forward to seeing their families after months of lockdown.
As we responsibly begin to reopen we must be reminded of all of those businesses that have stayed open throughout the pandemic to keep essential services running. Today I toured Oakville’s Canadian Hospital Specialties’ production facility, along with Premier Ford, MPPs Crawford and Triantafilopoulos and
Councillor Longo,
where a new contract is ramping up the Province’s swab supplies for COVID-19 testing expansion. CHS has added a fourth shift to their production to keep up with demand and will be hiring summer students – a bright spot in our economy’s recovery.
For more insight into where we’ve come from in the pandemic and where we’re headed in the recovery, please scroll to the end of this email for an updated timeline of events.
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Items in this update:
- COVID case counts
- COVID-19 deaths per million
- Couples' death, minutes apart, a reminder the pandemic is far from over
- Hamilton residents in their 20s account for half of new COVID cases
- The WHO has new advice for masks
- 52-year-old nurse dies after weeks fighting coronavirus
- A younger generation searches for hope amidst the George Floyd protest
- John Maynard Keynes biography poses questions about big spending today
- Canadian municipalities could face $20B budget shortfall from 3 months of COVID-related closures
- Downtown Oakville businesses struggle to cope with hardships of coronavirus pandemic
- Provincial Government announcements
- Ontario permits more businesses and services to reopen in the coming days
- Ontario extending outdoor patios for social distancing during COVID-19
- Ontario proposing temporary ban on commercial evictions
- Nurses’ association calls for better infection control in long-term care
- Federal Government announcements
- Changes to travel restrictions for immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents
- 'Safe restart' of Canadian economy to take 6 - 8 months
- Health Canada recalls six hand sanitizers containing industrial-grade ethanol
- With recovery of last case, New Zealand has eradicated the novel coronavirus
- Sweden didn't lock down, but economy to plunge anyway
- China defends its coronavirus response in new report
- Face coverings to be mandatory on public transit in England
- In other COVID-related news
- Going it alone
- Provincial reopenings and what to expect
- Provincial border bans during COVID-19 spark lawsuits, anger from Canadians denied entry
- Mother mystified by Winnipeg toddler's 'terrifying' condition after coming down with COVID-19
- Ottawa health unit backtracks after issuing misleading advice on COVID-19 immunity
- Physicians demand Legault ease restriction rules for children
- Home builders look to tax breaks, easing of mortgage rules to stimulate recovery
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Total confirmed cases in Halton increased by 7 from 666 to
673
with 5 new confirmed cases in Oakville, from 219 to
224
over the weekend. There are 28 probable cases in Oakville.
There were 6 reported recoveries in Oakville, from 211 to
217
and
15
recoveries in Halton Region from 614 to
629
. That leaves 4 active confirmed cases in Oakville.
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Oakville's community transmission is at 31 per cent.
Following a weekend of more than 400 news cases reported each day, many due to reporting delays, Ontario is reporting 243 additional cases of COVID-19 yesterday.
Canada has 95,699 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 54,753 considered recovered or resolved. That's an increase of 2,070 since Friday.
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COVID-19 deaths per million
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Couple's deaths, minutes apart, a reminder the pandemic isn't over, says Toronto doctor
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A husband and wife died in a hospital room of COVID-19 Thursday just three minutes apart.
“This pandemic is only over for people who don't survive it,” wrote Toronto physician Dr. Abdu Sharkawy in a tweet Friday about the couple’s death.
He hopes to convince those believing the worst of the pandemic is over that it’s not the case, especially in Ontario and Quebec.
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Hamilton residents in their 20s account for nearly half of new COVID-19 cases
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Hamilton is seeing a surge of new COVID-19 cases among people in their twenties, who seem to be spending time with their friends and getting lax about physical distancing, says the city's medical officer of health.
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The WHO has new advice for wearing masks and making your own
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued new guidelines for face masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that they be used in more situations than previously advised.
Chief among
the new recommendations
is that anyone living in an area where virus transmission is widespread should be encouraged to wear a non-medical mask when they are in a situation where physical distancing is difficult, such as on public transit, in stores and at places of worship and other mass gatherings.
Until the recommendations were released Friday, the WHO had not provided any guidance for or against the use of non-medical masks, saying there was not enough scientific evidence to determine if they could be helpful.
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A 52-year old nurse dies after fighting coronavirus for weeks. Her story, and her son's tells of the tragedy
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A younger generation searches for hope amidst the George Floyd protests
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Former Toronto Star columnist Royson James provides his perspective – and that of his family – to the George Floyd protests and Black Lives Matter movement. He reveals some hope for real change.
“I’m a privileged Black guy living in one of the most blessed nations on Earth, in a middle-class, predominantly Jewish, Toronto neighbourhood, under COVID lockdown with my lawyer son, student daughter and teacher wife.
Insulated, yes — but always visible. And I can’t breathe.”
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John Maynard Keynes biography poses questions about big spending today
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In “The Price of Peace: Money, Democracy and the Life of John Maynard
Keynes,” journalist Zachary Carter vividly explores the career of the early 20th-century economist whose prescriptions for economic crises linger with us.
Click the image for the full story/
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Canadian municipalities could face $20B budget shortfall from 3 months of COVID-related closures
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Many Canadians may grumble this month as they open their property tax assessments. But by this time next year, that grumble could turn into a scream if municipalities can't figure out different ways to bring in revenue or balance their budgets.
Cities across the country are facing a growing fiscal crisis, triggered at least in part by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Downtown Oakville businesses struggle to cope with the hardships of coronavirus pandemic
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As the coronavirus pandemic continues to drag on, many businesses in downtown Oakville are continuing to endure despite significant drops in revenue.
Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, who is also on the Downtown Oakville BIA’s board of management, said downtown businesses have had to deal with more than most.
What he called a "triple whammy" began with the "Amazonification" of retail and was followed by the Lakeshore Road West Reconstruction and Streetscape Project, which has seen sections of the downtown roadway undergoing construction since April 2019.
Finally, in mid-March, the coronavirus pandemic arrived.
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Provincial Government Announcements
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Ontario Permits More Businesses and Services to Reopen in the Coming Days
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Restrictions Being Eased in Communities Where It Is Safe to Do So
Today, the Ontario government announced that it is getting more people back to work and more recreational activities open by moving forward with a regional approach to Stage 2 of reopening the province.
In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and local health officials, the government is easing restrictions in communities where it is safe to do so, based on trends of key public health indicators such as lower rates of transmission, increased capacity in hospitals, and progress made in testing.
Effective Friday, June 12, 2020 at 12:01 a.m., the province will increase the limit on social gatherings from five to 10 people across the province, regardless of whether a region has moved to Stage 2. Additionally, all places of worship in Ontario will also be permitted to open with physical distancing in place and attendance limited to no more than 30 per cent of the building capacity to ensure the safety of worshippers.
Public health unit regions allowed to move into Stage 2 on Friday, June 12 at 12:01 a.m. include:
- Algoma Public Health
- Brant County Health Unit
- Chatham-Kent Public Health
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit
- Grey Bruce Health Unit
- Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
- Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
- Huron Perth Public Health
- Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health
- Leeds Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit
- Middlesex-London Health Unit
- North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
- Northwestern Health Unit
- Ottawa Public Health
- Peterborough Public Health
- Porcupine Health Unit
- Public Health Sudbury & Districts
- Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services
- Renfrew County and District Health Unit
- Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit
- Southwestern Public Health
- Thunder Bay District Health Unit
- Timiskaming Health Unit
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
Businesses and services permitted to reopen with proper health and safety measures in place in regions entering Stage 2 include:
- Outdoor dine-in services at restaurants, bars and other establishments, including patios, curbside, parking lots and adjacent properties;
- Select personal and personal care services with the proper health and safety measures in place, including tattoo parlours, barber shops, hair salons and beauty salons;
- Shopping malls under existing restrictions, including food services reopening for take-out and outdoor dining only;
- Tour and guide services, such as bike and walking, bus and boat tours, as well as tasting and tours for wineries, breweries and distilleries;
- Water recreational facilities such as outdoor splash pads and wading pools, and all swimming pools;
- Beach access and additional camping at Ontario Parks;
- Camping at private campgrounds;
- Outdoor-only recreational facilities and training for outdoor team sports, with limits to enable physical distancing;
- Drive-in and drive-through venues for theatres, concerts, animal attractions and cultural appreciation, such as art installations;
- Film and television production activities, with limits to enable physical distancing; and
- Weddings and funerals, with limits on social gatherings to 10 people.
As more people return to work, the services they rely on will need to be available regardless of the stage a region is in. The province will soon release more details on:
- Child care;
- Summer camps;
- Post-secondary education pilots to help people graduate;
- Training centres; and
- Public transit.
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Ontario Extending Outdoor Patios to Allow for Social Distancing During COVID-19
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The Ontario government will allow restaurants and bars to temporarily extend outdoor patio spaces to safely accommodate patrons and staff once licensed establishments are permitted to fully reopen for business. This action will help support hospitality sector workers and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.
As a result of a regulation change, licensed establishments may create a patio adjacent to their premise or increase the size of their patio once they are permitted to welcome patrons on-site. This temporary measure will allow the public to safely enjoy service that meets social distancing requirements and other public health guidelines.
While the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) will not require licensees to apply or pay a fee for these temporary extensions, licensed establishments must ensure they have municipal approval and meet all other applicable requirements. These measures will be in effect until January 1, 2021 at 3:00 a.m.
The province is also providing enhanced choice and flexibility to Ontario liquor manufacturers regarding the location of “tied houses”, which are the restaurants and bars located at wineries, breweries and distilleries. Effective immediately, tied houses are no longer required to be located on the manufacturing site itself, but may be located anywhere at the same municipal or property address as the manufacturing site.
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The Ontario government announced today that it intends to take action to protect commercial tenants from being locked out or having their assets seized by their landlords due to the negative impacts of COVID-19.
The proposed changes to the Commercial Tenancies Act would, if passed, temporarily halt evictions of businesses that are eligible for federal/provincial rent assistance. If passed, the legislation would reverse evictions that occurred on or after June 3, 2020. The government intends to bring this legislation forward as soon as possible.
In partnership with the federal government, Ontario is committing $241 million to the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses which is providing more than $900 million in support. CECRA for small businesses provides forgivable loans to eligible commercial landlords to help cover 50 per cent of commercial rent for tenants for the months of April, May and June 2020.
The tenant will be responsible for covering up to 25 per cent of rent, so that up to 75 per cent of the rent is covered. Tenants and landlords can learn how much they may be eligible for by visiting Ontario.ca/rentassistance.
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Nurses’ association calls for better infection control in long-term care
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A high death toll from the rapid spread of
COVID-19
in long-term care proves the need for a nurse specializing in infection control at every home, the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario says.
The proposal came Friday as the province approaches 1,700 nursing-home deaths
in addition to seven employees felled by the highly contagious virus.
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Federal Government announcements
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Changes to travel restrictions for immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents
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The Canada Border Services Agency is announcing that as of June 8, 2020 23:59 EDT, foreign nationals who are immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and who do not have COVID-19 or exhibit any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, or who do not have reason to believe they have COVID-19, will be exempt from the prohibition on entry to Canada if entering to be with an immediate family member for a period of at least 15 days.
Foreign nationals who are admitted into Canada pursuant to this exemption must
quarantine
for 14 days.
An immediate family member refers to a person’s:
- a) spouse or common-law partner;
- b) dependent child, as defined in section 2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, or a dependent child of the person’s spouse or common-law partner;
- c) dependent child, as defined in section 2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, of a dependent child referred to in paragraph (b):
- d) parent or step-parent or the parent or step-parent of the person’s spouse or common-law partner;
- e) guardian or tutor.
All foreign nationals who have COVID-19 or exhibit any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 continue to remain prohibited from entering Canada.
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'Safe restart' of Canadian economy will take 6-8 months, Freeland says
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A ‘safe restart’ of the Canadian economy will likely take at least half a year, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Friday, a day after Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam cautioned that relaxing current restrictions too much or too soon could result in an “
explosive growth
” of new cases.
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Health Canada recalls six hand sanitizers containing industrial-grade ethanol
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Health Canada is recalling six types of hand sanitizers sold in Canadian stores that are made with industrial-grade ethanol.
The recall, issued Saturday, advises anyone with the products in their home to stop using them immediately and consult a healthcare professional if they experience health concerns. Frequent use of these products may lead to dry skin, causing irritation or cracking.
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With recovery of last case, New Zealand has eradicated the novel coronavirus
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New Zealand appears to have completely eradicated the novel coronavirus — at least for now — after health officials said Monday the last known infected person had recovered.
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Sweden didn't lock down, but economy to plunge anyway
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Unlike most countries, Sweden never locked down during the coronavirus pandemic, largely keeping businesses operating, but the economy appears to be taking a hard hit nonetheless.
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China defends its coronavirus response in new report
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Senior Chinese officials released a lengthy report Sunday on the nation's response to the coronavirus pandemic, defending their government's actions and saying that China had provided information in a timely and transparent manner.
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In other COVID-related news:
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Going it alone
As COVID-19 spread around the world, Canadian hospitals moved quickly to ban visitors in an effort to prevent outbreaks. They have also instituted other protective measures, from physical barriers to more elaborate care protocols, which can have an isolating effect on patients.
Provincial reopenings and what to expect
Provinces have been releasing plans for easing restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Provincial border bans during COVID-19 spark lawsuits, anger from Canadians denied entry
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, six provinces and territories have temporarily barred most Canadian visitors from entering their borders. The measures have sparked lawsuits and anger from Canadians denied entry.
Mother mystified by Winnipeg toddler's 'terrifying' condition after coming down with COVID-19
Doctors are investigating the case of a Winnipeg toddler with symptoms suggesting a rare, inflammatory illness potentially linked to COVID-19.
Ottawa health unit backtracks after issuing misleading advice on COVID-19 immunity
Ottawa's public health agency is walking back some public health advice after it told recovered COVID-19 patients that they might be safe from reinfection for two years or more — information that goes against what federal health officials have cautioned through the entire COVID-19 pandemic.
Physicians demand Legault ease restriction rules for children
As science learns more on how COVID-19 is spread, physicians in Quebec are calling on the government to ease distancing rules for children.
Home builders look to tax breaks, easing of mortgage rules to stimulate recovery
Three home builders’ associations are asking governments to invest in 20 measures to free up liquidity and boost construction jobs.
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Sunset Cinema @ Home: June 19
Stay home, stay healthy, and support Oakville Hospital healthcare heroes! Join
the Oakville Hospital Foundation
for Sunset Cinema @ Home, the perfect summer movie night on Friday, June 19 at 7pm.
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The virtual edition of the Walk to End ALS event will take place June 21. 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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Starting tomorrow, Oakville Public Library will begin offering contactless holds pickups and the ability to return borrowed library materials at select locations. Details at opl.on.ca
Branches: Glen Abbey – Iroquois Ridge - Woodside
Library Take-out and materials return will be available from 11:30-7 on Tuesday and Thursday and 9:30-5 on Saturday.
The materials return process follows the same after-hours process as pre-COVID19.
Library Take-Out holds pick-up process:
Customers can place holds as usual from
www.opl.ca
, or
- a.by calling one of the open branches during open hours
i. GA -
(905) 815-2039)
ii. IR -
(905) 338-4247
iii. WS -
(905) 815-2036
Once their hold is available, customers will be contacted either by email or phone to select a pick-up slot. Each time slot is 30 minutes and has limited spots available.
On their selected date/time, customers can arrive at their indicated branch and pick-up their hold(s) from the vestibule.
Customers enjoy their new materials
Monday, June 8
•
12 pm
Let's Talk About Books, Movies & More: Romantic Comedies
This week, we'll discuss our favourite books, movies and more that relate to Romantic Comedies. "Let's Talk About" are weekly, virtual sessions that explore different themes in arts, culture and literature.
Join us on
Zoom
(Meeting ID: 975 6201 8912) or call 1-647-558-0588.
Monday, June 8
•
6 pm
Halton County Genealogy Meetup
Come together with other family historians virtually, courtesy of our partner Ontario Ancestors, to learn more about genealogy.
Tuesdays & Thursdays • 10 am
Family Storytime on Instagram Live
Get moving with stories, songs and fun during Family Storytime! Hosted virtually on Instagram Live. Follow
@oakvillelibrary on Instagram
.
Tuesdays & Thursdays • 2 pm
Kids Library Club
Join us on Tuesdays and Thursdays as we explore fun activities in the fields of science, technology, art and more! Tuesday's session will be
Book Club
and Thursday is
Hour of Code
. Limited spaces.
Tuesday, June 9 • 3 pm
Design Thinking in partnership with Oakville Museum
Join Oakville Museum for a mini-crash course on Design Thinking. Based on teachings from Stanford University’s d.school, discover how to use design thinking to solve problems in creative and innovative ways.
Wednesday, June 10 • 1 pm
Better Brain Health presented by the Alzheimer Society
Join a representative from the Alzheimer Society and learn about dementia, its causes, and the top five things you can do to reduce your chances of diagnosis.
Wednesday, June 10 • 3 pm
Virtual Book Club:
Dinner with Edward by Isabel Vincent
Our Virtual Adult Book Club meets every Wednesday!
Join us on
Zoom
(Meeting ID: 931 1411 1835) or call 1-647-558-0588.
Thursday, June 11
•
11 am
Let's Talk About Books, Movies & More: International Fiction
This week, we'll discuss our favourite books, movies and more that relate to International Fiction. "Let's Talk About" are weekly, virtual sessions that explore different themes in arts, culture and literature.
Join us on
Zoom
(Meeting ID: 943 7233 0505) or call 1-647-558-0588.
Thursday, June 11
•
6:30 pm
How to make a Webcomic!
Join Jey Pawlik, a Toronto-based non-binary artist behind Gender Slices and Dead City, for a virtual chat on everything you need to know about creating a webcomic and sharing them online.
Friday, June 12 • 10 am
Virtual Crafty Bees Meetup with The Hive
An informal, weekly craft meetup to share what you’re working on, and gather inspiration from fellow craft enthusiasts.
Join us on
Zoom
(Meeting ID: 936 5905 6875, Password: 756445) or call 1-647 374 4685.
Fridays and Saturdays • 10 am
Family Storytime on YouTube
Follow
OPL on YouTube
and enjoy pre-recorded Family Storytime on Fridays and Saturdays at 10 am. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube page so you don't miss out!
Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Staff Book Recommendations on YouTube
Listen to over 100 short book reviews from OPL staff, uploaded weekly on
YouTube
.
Daily
Virtual Tech Help
Book a virtual one-on-one session for basic technology assistance. Limited sessions.
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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
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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