Update:
The Ontario government has unveiled a tiered system for future COVID-19 lockdowns.
According to a press release issued today, the framework takes a gradual approach that includes introducing preventative measures earlier to help avoid broader closures and allow for additional public health and workplace safety measures to be introduced or removed incrementally.
It categorizes public health unit regions into the following five levels:
- Green-Prevent
- Yellow-Protect
- Orange-Restrict
- Red-Control
- Lockdown (being a measure of last and urgent resort)
Each level outlines the types of public health and workplace safety measures for businesses and organizations. These include targeted measures for specific sectors, institutions and other settings.
Each public health unit will be classified according to current framework indicators, which will be confirmed by the province on Friday Nov. 6 and become effective on Saturday Nov. 7 at 12:01 a.m.
Final decisions on moving public health unit regions into the framework will be made by the government based on updated data and in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, local medical officers of health and other health experts, and will be reviewed weekly.
The following proposed classifications for public health unit regions are based on data for the week of Oct. 26, 2020.
Lockdown:
- No public health unit regions
Red-Control:
- No public health unit regions
Orange-Restrict:
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit;
- Ottawa Public Health;
- Peel Public Health;
- Toronto Public Health (may be delayed in entering Orange-Restrict level until November 14, 2020); and
- York Region Public Health.
Yellow-Protect:
- Brant County Health Unit;
- City of Hamilton Public Health Services;
- Durham Region Health Department; and
- Halton Region Public Health.
Green-Prevent:
- Algoma Public Health;
- Chatham-Kent Public Health;
- Grey Bruce Health Unit;
- Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health;
- Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit;
- Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit;
- Hastings Prince Edward Public Health;
- Huron Perth Public Health;
- Lambton Public Health;
- Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit;
- Middlesex-London Health Unit;
- Niagara Region Public Health;
- North Bay Parry Sound District;
- Northwestern Health Unit;
- 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-Duf ferin-Guelph Public Health; and
- Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
Going forward, the government will continually assess the impact of public health measures applied to public health unit regions for 28 days, or two COVID-19 incubation periods.
Additionally, the Ontario government has released details on how it will assist businesses impacted by COVID-19 moving forward. A press release issued today states $300 million will be made available to businesses required to close or significantly restrict services in areas subject to modified Stage 2 public health restrictions (Ottawa, Peel, Toronto, and York Region) or, going forward, in areas categorized as Control or Lockdown.
Rebates will cover the period of time that businesses are required to temporarily close or significantly restrict services as a result of being located in areas subject to the targeted modified Stage 2 public health restrictions or, going forward, in areas categorized as Control or Lockdown. The property tax rebates will be net of any federal support in respect of property taxes provided through the new Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS), so that the rebate will cover costs beyond those covered by CERS.
Beginning Nov. 16, eligible businesses will be able to apply for temporary property tax and energy cost rebates directly to the province through a single, online application portal. Many businesses should expect to receive their rebate payments within a few weeks of finalizing and submitting their completed application. Eligible businesses include restaurants, bars, gyms and cinemas.
Original story:
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is expected to announce a new tiered system for COVID-19 shutdowns at 1 p.m. today.
The new system is expected to give municipalities and public health units clear criteria for when to impose various lockdowns and closures.
Additionally, the premier is expected to announce next steps for regions currently in a modified Stage 2.
Ford will be joined by Health Minister Christine Elliott, Finance Minister Rod Phillips and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams to make the announcement.
Village Media will carry the livestream, so stay tuned.
