Premier Doug Ford is extending both the stay at home order until June 2nd.
The current measure was set to expire on Thursday May 20th.
The Premier stated that if numbers continue to drop, outdoor activities will be allowed again early next month.
“I expect by June 2nd, so long as we stay the course, we will be able to open outdoor recreation, and by then we will provide more details on our plan to carefully and safely begin to re-open the province in the days and weeks to follow.”
Premier Ford went on to mention incoming flights into Ontario have played a role in provincial case counts.
“We’ve seen disturbing reports that over 88,000 travelers entering Canada, one-third of travelers on international flights, have been able to bypass the mandatory three day hotel requirement. We have private jets landing all over the province at smaller airports from Hawaii, Arizona, and other sunny destinations. This is not emergency travel.”
When asked about what restrictions the province can expect after the extended lockdown potentially concludes June 2nd, Premier Ford stressed the dangers of loosening restrictions prematurely.
“We just can’t open up too quickly, we just can’t. I just want to make sure everyone has the best July and August and get back to as normal as we can.”
Ford did shift some blame towards Justin Trudeau and the Federal Government, citing provincial case counts being directly related to current travel and border restrictions.
“You want to protect Canadians, you want to protect Ontarians, you want to stop variants from coming in, when 90% of people with COVID has come in through the airports or the land-borders.”
The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) has been vocal in their support for an extended stay-at-home order based on the current number of hospitalizations in the province, along with daily case counts.
Meanwhile Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell is disappointed that the colour coded response framework wasn’t put back in place.
“I know how frustrated people are, especially parents who are anxious to see their children return to in-person learning and people who are eager to return to the outdoor activities we all love,” Monteith-Farrell said in a statement. “For months, the government hasn’t listened to the people of Ontario or its own scientists. The government hasn’t brought in proper paid sick leave, and they closed down outdoor activities against the advice of their own health experts.”
Fellow MPP Michael Gravelle (Thunder Bay-Superior North) gave his thoughts which you can listen to below:
Chief Medical Officer of Health David Williams stated earlier this week that daily case counts need to stay below 1,000 if restrictions are to be loosened.
The province recorded 2,759 cases of COVID-19 along with 31 deaths Thursday.
