July 7 Office of the Mayor and Council Update
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Municipalities seeking support to protect services
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Yesterday in Council and this morning at our 2021 Budget Committee Meeting we heard about the shortfall the Town of Oakville faces as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic forcing services to close. Mayors and Chairs from across Ontario, represented by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Mayors and Regional Chairs of Ontario, and the Large Urban Mayors’ Caucus of Ontario also met to discuss the same issue.
The result of the discussion was that our residents cannot wait any longer. To protect municipal services, we need immediate provincial and federal support to cover lost revenue and additional costs caused by the COVID-19 crisis.
Our call is part of a national effort, led by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, to secure at least $10 billion dollars in emergency relief for Canadian municipalities to offset lost transit revenues and added service costs.
Without help, as we begin next year’s budget process, we have no choice but to consider plans to balance the budget by raising property taxes, user fees and charges or cutting services. Municipalities cannot run a deficit and none of the above mentioned options is ideal, which is why we’re advocating for assistance.
The Budget Committee meeting will be held in early September for the Committee to receive an update on the budget and consider options.
We’ve come to so far in this pandemic. Scroll to the bottom of this email to see the updated timeline and have a look at how far we’ve progressed in recovery, too.
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Items in this update:
- COVID case counts
- Face masks now mandatory in indoor places in Toronto
- Controversy over airborne transmission of COVID-19 overblown, Dr. Henry says
- Residents need to mitigate risk to keep COVID-19 from roaring back
- Town of Oakville announcements
- Pre-booking required for recreational swims
- Special Council Meeting tomorrow
- Provincial Government announcements
- Ontario introduces legislation to protect public health as economy reopens
- Ontario passes legislation to deliver subways faster
- A look back at how far Ontario has come on COVID-19 deaths
- Toronto to release individual level case data
- Thirty workers test positive at Vaughan mushroom farm
- Government of Canada announcements
- New Green Municipal Fund tool drives energy efficiency
- Final components of Phase 2 of the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations announced
- Payment to disabled Canadians remains in limbo
- American couple to pay for failure to self-quarantine in Canada
- Edmonton hospital stop admitting patients due to outbreak
- Australia's second-largest city foil's nation's pandemic success
- Brazil President tests positive for coronavirus
- Operation Warp Speed to expedite development of coronavirus vaccine
- In other COVID-related news
- St. Catharines to draft mandatory indoor mask bylaw
- Hamtilon's board of health to vote Friday on mandatory mask law
- Masks required at Hamilton, Niagara post-secondary institutions
- Many Canadians say they'll get a COVID-19 vaccine, some won't
- How to wear, clean and store facemasks
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Total confirmed cases in Halton increased by
8
from 771 to
779
with
+2
new confirmed cases in Oakville, from 255 to
257.
There are currently
0
COVID-19 patients being cared for at OTMH and 12 active cases in Oakville.
There were
+3
reported recoveries in Oakville, from 267 to
270
and
+6
recoveries in Halton Region from 778 to
784
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Ontario is reporting two new coronavirus deaths and 112 new cases today bringing the total confirmed case count to
36,060.
Canada had 105,935 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases as of this morning. Provinces and territories listed 69,570 of the cases as recovered or resolved.
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COVID-19 deaths per million
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Face masks now mandatory in indoor places in Toronto
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As of today, it’s now mandatory to wear face masks in Toronto.
Toronto city council
voted to make masks mandatory
in enclosed, public places last week following recommendations from the medical officer of health.
It will require “the person or organization who owns or is responsible for the operation of a facility or business to have a policy to ensure masks or face coverings be worn by the public in the enclosed public spaces under their control,” subject to some exemptions.
Toronto’s bylaw is meant to make masks mandatory in businesses like grocery stores and will not apply to children under the age of two or people who can’t wear masks for medical reasons.
Dr. Eileen de Villa, the city’s medical officer of health, said they’ve seen that making masks mandatory improves compliance, and that though there is greater risk of COVID-19 transmission in enclosed spaces, wearing masks helps to prevent virus spread.
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Controversy over airborne transmission of COVID-19 'a tempest in a teapot,' Dr. Bonnie Henry says
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Dr. Bonnie Henry says the controversy over airborne transmission of COVID-19 has been overblown, after hundreds of scientists signed a letter calling for the World Health Organization to revise its recommendations.
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Residents need to mitigate risk to keep COVID-19 from 'roaring back' as Ontario reopens
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From road trips to restaurant patios, there are now plenty of options for things to do in Ontario this summer, particularly as the province prepares to enter Stage 3 of its reopening. But experts warn residents need to protect themselves and others while shopping, dining, and travelling — otherwise the virus behind COVID-19 could keep "roaring back."
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Town of Oakville announcements
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Pre-booking required for recreational swims
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On Monday, July 13, Lions Outdoor Pool, Wedgewood Outdoor Pool, Falgarwood Outdoor Pool and Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre’s (QEPCCC) indoor pool will reopen.
Capacity at the pools will be reduced to help ensure physical distancing guidelines are maintained in compliance with Halton Public Health Regulations, Lifesaving Society’s guidelines, and provincial guidelines.
Residents must pre-book their recreational swim blocks online in advance at
active.oakville.ca
. To ensure capacity restrictions are met, drop-ins are not allowed.
Private swimming lessons will be offered at Falgarwood outdoor pool.
Aquatic Leadership programs will be offered at Lions outdoor pool and QEPCCC indoor pool.
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Special Council Meeting tomorrow
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Tomorrow, Wednesday July 8 at 7 p.m. I've called a Special Council Meeting to discuss the evidence for and against mandatory masks in Oakville. You can
watch the meeting live
and
read my report.
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Provincial Government announcements
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Ontario introduces legislation to protect Public Health as economy reopens
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Today, the Ontario government introduced proposed legislation that, if passed, would give the province the necessary flexibility to address the ongoing risks and effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. The proposed legislation is part of the government's plan for the continued safe and gradual reopening of the province once the declaration of emergency ends.
Details about the proposed legislation were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones.
"If passed, the proposed legislation would allow us to chart a responsible path to economic reopening and recovery without putting all the progress we've made in fighting this virus at risk," said Premier Ford. "Even as we continue certain emergency orders under the proposed legislation to protect public health, we will always be a government accountable to the people of Ontario. That's why I will ensure ongoing updates are provided and that a report is tabled within four months of the anniversary of this proposed Act coming into force."
"While the declaration of emergency may come to an end shortly, the risk posed by COVID-19 is likely to be with us for some time to come," said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. "This new legislation would provide the government with the necessary flexibility to ensure select tools remain in place to protect vulnerable populations, such as seniors, and respond to this deadly virus."
The Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 would, if passed, ensure important measures remain in place to address the threat of COVID-19 once the provincial declaration of emergency has ended. Specifically, the legislation would:
- Continue emergency orders in effect under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) under the new legislation for an initial 30 days.
- Allow the Lieutenant Governor in Council to further extend these orders for up to 30 days at a time, as required to keep Ontarians safe.
- Allow the Lieutenant Governor in Council to amend certain emergency orders continued under the EMCPA if the amendment relates to:
- labour redeployment or workplace and management rules;
- closure of places and spaces or regulation of how businesses and establishments can be open to provide goods or services in a safe manner;
- compliance with public health advice; or
- rules related to gatherings and organized public events.
- Not allow new emergency orders to be created.
- Allow emergency orders to be rescinded when it is safe to do so.
The ability to extend and amend orders under the new legis lation w ould be limited to one year, unless extended by the Ontario legislature. Appropriate oversight and transparency would be ensured through regular, mandated reporting that provides the rationale for the extension of any emergency order. The legislation would include the same types of provisions on offences and penalties as set out under the EMCPA to address non-compliance with orders.
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Ontario is building a modern, reliable and sustainable transit system for the 21st century that will get people moving, reduce congestion, and drive economic growth and job creation. Today, Bill 171, the Building Transit Faster Act, 2020, was passed into law.
The legislation enables the province to expedite the process of building Ontario's four priority transit projects, which will get people to where they want to go, reduce congestion, and drive economic growth and job creation. The projects include the all-new Ontario Line, the Yonge North Subway Extension to Markham and Richmond Hill, the improved three-stop Scarborough Subway Extension, and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension to Pearson airport.
"Getting more transit built faster will help reduce gridlock, deliver a modern rapid transit system for the province and become a major contributor to our economic recovery," said Premier Doug Ford. "These four priority transit projects will create thousands of jobs, provide more housing options for people, and open up countless opportunities for businesses throughout the Greater Toronto Area and beyond."
"During consultations and throughout debate, we heard a common theme from a wide range of people who reinforced how important it is to not only build transit quickly, but to also get it right," said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. "That is why we've focused solely on eliminating the roadblocks that cause unnecessary delays, so we can deliver these major transit projects as quickly and cost effectively as possible."
This legislation supports Premier Ford's "New Subway Transit Plan for the GTA" ― representing the largest subway expansion in Canadian history. The Act will expedite the planning, design and construction process for the four priority subway projects by:
- Enabling relocation of utilities more efficiently, while treating businesses fairly, and ensuring costs are not passed on to consumers;
- Better enabling the assembly of land required to construct stations, conduct tunneling and prepare sites, while treating property owners fairly;
- Ensuring timely access to municipal services and rights-of-way;
- Allowing the province to conduct due diligence work and remove physical barriers with appropriate notification to property owners; and,
- Ensuring nearby developments or construction projects are coordinated so they do not cause delays.
"Now that legislation has passed, we continue to call on the federal government to come to the table and fund at least 40 per cent of these nationally-significant subway projects that will provide a modern, efficient rapid transit system, benefiting all transit riders and taxpayers," said Kinga Surma, Associate Minister of Transportation (GTA). "With the passage o f this bill, we can get shovels in the ground sooner and get skilled people back to work as we restart the economy and recover from COVID-19."
"The passage of this legislation gets us closer to building much-needed transit infrastructure to reduce congestion and contribute to the economic recovery and renewal of our province," said Laurie Scott, Minister of Infrastructure. "We are committed to fulfilling our promise to get people where they want to go when they want to get there."
Working together with its municipal and federal partners on priority transit projects, the government is building a world-class rapid transit system and developing transit-oriented communities with a greater variety of affordable housing options
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A look back at how far Ontario has come on COVID-19 deaths
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Plus eight other charts that sum up the pandemic right now
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Toronto to release 'individual-level' COVID-19 case data to show impact of virus on city
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Toronto is planning to release "individual-level" data on COVID-19 cases in the city this week that will indicate age range, gender, hospitalization, date of illness and neighbourhood, the city's medical officer of health says.
Dr. Eileen de Villa told reporters at a city hall news conference on Monday afternoon that data to be released will not identify anyone who has the disease, but it will paint a broad picture of how COVID-19 has affected Toronto.
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Thirty workers test positive for COVID-19 at mushroom farm in Vaughan
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Thirty workers have tested positive for COVID-19 at a mushroom farm in Vaughan, according to York Region Public Health.
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Government of Canada announcements
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New Green Municipal Fund tool drives energy efficiency
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The Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities are proud to launch the Municipal Energy Roadmap. This decision-support tool provides specific guidance to identify the most impactful solutions for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The Municipal Energy Roadmap will help municipalities discover solutions for energy efficiency in municipal, commercial, and residential buildings; learn about solutions for community sustainable energy generation; and implement strategies to drive these solutions forward.
The initiative is part of the Green Municipal Fund, a $1 billion program funded by the Government of Canada and delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. It is the first in a series of five municipal sector tools that aims to help Canadian municipalities identify the most promising sustainability solutions for their local context.
By working with residents, businesses and other stakeholders to create jobs, lead economic recovery, and significantly improve quality of life for residents, the roadmap is also improving the environmental footprint of municipalities and contributing to their long-term sustainability objectives.
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Final components of Phase 2 of the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations announced
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Minister Guilbeault today announced the final details regarding Phase 2 of the disbursement of the $500-million fund, announced earlier this year. This final component helps address some of the gaps that have been identified by the industry across Canada since the fund was first implemented. Thus, the second phase provides support to other organizations, some of which do not normally receive funding from Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm Canada or the Canada Media Fund. The goal is still to help maintain jobs and support business continuity for organizations whose viability has been affected.
This final component of Phase 2 of the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations will be distributed through grants and contributions as follows:
- $45 million through the Canada Periodical Fund to assist free magazines and weekly newspapers, including those that serve official-language minority or ethnocultural communities;
- $25 million distributed through partners to assist independent news and community radio broadcasters;
- $20 million to Musicaction and FACTOR to help presenters in the live music sector;
- $2.5 million to support producers of content in a language other than English or French through the Canada Media Fund; and
- $52.1 million to various arts and culture organizations that do not normally receive funding from Canadian Heritage programs and/or did not receive funding during Phase 1. This amount will be provided as follows:
- $8.2 million for the arts sector;
- $27.8 million for the audiovisual and digital media sector;
- $5 million for the music industry;
- $10 million for the publishing sector; and
- $1 million for arts and culture organizations that serve official-language communities.
Like Phase 1, this second phase is open to a variety of organizations and equity-seeking groups such as Indigenous, official-language minority, LGBTQ2 and racialized communities. More details are available in the
backgrounder
.
The
first component of Phase 2
was announced on June 18. It included $53 million in support to organizations with heritage collections through the emergency component of the Museums Assistance Program. Details on the application process for small community museums will be available very soon.
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Payment to disabled Canadians remains in limbo
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s promise to provide a $600 payment to disabled Canadians to help with additional costs in the COVID-19 pandemic remains in limbo.
The measure was contained in a piece of legislation that failed to pass in June and no replacement is on the agenda for a House of Commons sitting this week.
A spokesperson for Carla Qualtrough, the minister in charge of the file, says the government continues to work to find a solution but provided no details.
The opposition Conservatives and New Democrats say the Liberals have to find a way to make good on that pledge.
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American couple pay heavy price in Canada upon failure to self-quarantine
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Anyone crossing the border to enter Canada is required to self-quarantine for 14 days, but an American couple learned the hard way what happens when you violate the Quarantine Act.
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Edmonton hospital stops admitting patients due to COVID-19 outbreak
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Alberta Health Services said the Misericordia Community Hospital now has 18 patients and 14 staff members with the coronavirus.
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Australia's second largest city foils nation's pandemic success
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The southeastern Australian state of Victoria had some of the nation's toughest pandemic measures and was among the most reluctant to lift its restrictions when the worst of its outbreak seemed to have passed. But as most of the country emerges from pandemic restrictions, the virus has resumed spreading at an alarming rate in Victoria's capital, Melbourne.
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Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for coronavirus
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Jair Bolsonaro told CNN Brasil on Tuesday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
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Operation Warp Speed to expedite develpment
of coronavirus vaccine
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The U.S. government will pay vaccine maker Novavax $1.6 billion to expedite the development of 100 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine by the beginning of next year, the company said Tuesday.
The deal is the largest that the Trump administration has made so far with a company as part of Operation Warp Speed, the sprawling federal effort to make coronavirus vaccines and treatments available to the American public as quickly as possible. In doing so, the government has placed a significant bet on Novavax, a company based in Maryland that has never brought a product to market.
Operation Warp Speed is a multiagency effort that seeks to carry out President Donald Trump’s pledge to make a coronavirus vaccine available by the end of the year, but the full extent of the project is still unclear. Officials have declined to list which vaccines and treatments are part of Operation Warp Speed.
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In other COVID-related news:
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Coronavirus: St. Catharines to draft mandatory indoor mask bylaw
St. Catharines city council passed a motion to move forward with the development of a temporary mandatory mask bylaw for indoor public spaces.
Hamilton's board of health will vote Friday on a new law making masks mandatory indoors
The bylaw would make it mandatory to wear a mask indoors in Hamilton to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Headed to post-secondary campuses in Hamilton, Niagara? You'll have to wear a mask
Post-secondary campuses are requiring that visitors and workers wear face masks on campus in some — if not all — of their buildings.
Many Canadians say they'll likely choose to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but some won't
The vast majority of Canadians say they expect they'll choose to get a COVID-19 vaccine when and if one is available, but some others say they likely will not, according to new data from Statistics Canada.
Face masks: How to wear, clean, store, and everything in between
From how to wear them to how to store them, experts answer some commonly asked questions regarding the proper use of face masks during the pandemic.
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Oakville student's image aims to increase awareness of domestic abuse
Abbey Park High School student Sean Maguire created this image for his Grade 10 Civics class. The task was to create a social movement and he wanted to create awareness around the rising rates of domestic abuse during the pandemic. This image was created using a stylized photo of himself using paint software with the added tear.
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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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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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