Dale likened the situation in the province's hospitals to an airplane about to crash land. Repeating a phrase used by Ford earlier this week, Health Minister Christine Elliott said "everything is on the table" as the government contemplates more public health restrictions. TORONTO – Premier Doug Ford will be joined by Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, and Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health, to make an announcement. The seven-day average of new daily cases climbed to 2,316, its highest point since January 26. Premier Doug Ford held a press conference at 10 a.m. today from Queen's Park in Toronto. "We've seen this really horrible movie before," he said. In order to support working families, child care will remain open during the shutdown. “Please don’t continue doing this. "Our critical care system in Ontario is not built for a mass-casualty event like this.". Premiere Doug Ford is expected to make an announcement today at 1 p.m. Ontario Premier Doug Ford will speak about the third wave of coronavirus in the province on Monday afternoon, as case numbers have twice set all-time records in … https://www.cp24.com/news/premier-ford-to-make-announcement-today-1.5087338 Measures include, but are not limited to: On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, all Ontarians are asked to limit trips outside the home to necessities such as food, medication, medical appointments, supporting vulnerable community members, or exercising outdoors with members of their household. Lucas Powers is a Toronto-based reporter and writer. At a news conference on Wednesday Lecce said the province intends to keep the April break as is. The announcement was made today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education. The money is set to double for each child — $400 per child and $500 for a child with special needs. Both the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board and the ThamesValley District School Board in London have sent notices to families in recent days, saying while nothing is planned, they want to ensure parents are prepared if the province indicates a shift is required. Green party Leader Mike Schreiner also urged the government to act. Prohibiting indoor organized public events and social gatherings and limiting the capacity for outdoor organized public events or social gatherings to a 5-person maximum, except for gatherings with members of the same household (the people you live with) or gatherings of members of one household and one other person from another household who lives alone. As such, CCSO's count is regarded as the more accurate accounting of the situation in hospitals.). Get a Free Community Hub Program with any annual display package. Ontario's key indicators and latest modelling show that additional measures must be taken. Premier Doug Ford made the announcement Wednesday after hours of discussion with his cabinet. Pfizer study suggests COVID-19 vaccine is safe, protective in younger teens. Cabinet was set to meet late Wednesday to consult with the province's top doctor and look at new COVID-19 projections before making a decision, Elliott said. Village Media will carry the livestream. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. "I know pulling the emergency brake will be difficult on many people across the province, but we must try and prevent more people from getting infected and overwhelming our hospitals. "Implementing a provincewide emergency brake was not an easy decision to make and is not one we take lightly. Restricting in-person shopping in all retail settings, including a 50 per cent capacity limit for supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, indoor farmers' markets, other stores that primarily sell food and pharmacies, and 25 per cent for all other retail including big box stores, along with other public health and workplace safety measures; Prohibiting indoor and outdoor dining. Lecce was on hand to announce a boost to the Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit payment. Have a story to tell? The current COVID-19 Response Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open, will be paused when the provincewide emergency brake comes into effect. The provincewide emergency brake would put in place time-limited public health and workplace safety measures to help to stop the rapid transmission of COVID-19 variants in communities, protect hospital capacity and save lives. “There is one thing that is uniting all of us in Ontario and that is ‘stay at home,’” Ford … Ontario is awaiting the delivery of 396,630 Pfizer doses expected on April 5; 395,460 doses on April 12; 395,460 doses on April 19 and 396, 970 doses on April 26. "In the last few weeks a significant increase in COVID-19 cases and variants of concern has been observed across Ontario which has put considerable strain on our public health and health care systems," said Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health. In a report published this week, the table said that variants of concern are associated with a 63 per cent increase in risk of hospitalization, a 103 per cent increase in the risk of needing intensive care and a 56 per cent rise in the risk of death from COVID-19. Ford again urged Ontarians to forgo any plans to gather in large groups over the Easter weekend and to follow public health advice closely. Admissions of COVID-19 patients to Ontario's intensive care units (ICUs) have surpassed the previous pandemic high, a government agency that tracks hospitalizations said Wednesday, as the province reported another 2,333 cases of the illness. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. “It’s a tough decision but it’s the right decision.” Ford confirms province’s worst fears, lockdown to be announced officially at 1:30. pic.twitter.com/wSiGGuRA2U — Roberto Wakerell-Cruz ? Meanwhile, some school boards have instructed parents to ask their children to bring materials home ahead of this Easter weekend in case learning is shifted online. Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca said the province needs to impose a "circuit-breaker" that halts spread of the virus as soon as possible. Child care settings will continue to adhere to stringent health and safety measures so that they remain safe places for children and staff. Keeping schools open is critical to the mental health and well-being of Ontario youth. Date: Monday, February 22, 2021. To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Ontario Premier Doug Ford will make an announcement Friday afternoon after cabinet considered new COVID-19 restrictions amid rising case counts and hospitalizations. As Premier it falls on me, I'm the one who has to make the tough decisions, today I need to make one of those tough decisions.". Select pharmacies will begin booking appointments … It is a priority for CBC to create a website that is accessible to all Canadians including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Time: Remarks at 2:00 p.m. TORONTO — Today Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, and Larry Hogan, Governor of Maryland, finalized a new, historic strategic investment and procurement agreement (SIPA) that will increase trade, attract investment, and encourage job creation in both jurisdictions. Premier Doug Ford will be joined by Solicitor General Sylvia Jones and Jill Dunlop, Associate-Minister of Children and Women's Issues to make an announcement. Following today's announcement, however, it seems that could all change just in time for Easter. ", "The situation is the most serious than it's ever been," said Anthony Dale, president of the Ontario Hospital Association. Meanwhile, hospital officials are expecting that the number of COVID-19 patients in ICU will continue to surge past Wednesday's record, as the daily number of new cases has grown steeply in recent days. The province is still waiting for a second shipment of Moderna doses. Admissions of COVID-19 patients to Ontario's intensive care units (ICUs) have surpassed the previous pandemic high, a government agency that tracks hospitalizations said Wednesday, as the province reported another 2,333 cases of the virus. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. ET at Queen's Park. In an effort to continue to send the message that people in Ontario need to stay home, premier Doug Ford posted a video message on Thursday morning to get the message out in 22 languages. To date, Ontario has received 2,820,495 doses of vaccines from the federal government and administered 2,192,253, or about 77.8 per cent, of those. Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced an additional $1.2 billion in funding for hospitals across Ontario on Monday as cases of coronavirus begin to climb across the province once again. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, responding to a reporter's question Wednesday about the high number of COVID-19 patients in critical care in the province, promised an announcement tomorrow. 0:53 Premier Doug Ford is slated to make an announcement at 1 p.m. at Queen's Park today. "Ontario, like many other provinces and jurisdictions around the world, is in the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and immediate action is required to help turn the tide," said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. These increases are being driven by COVID-19 variants, which are transmitted easily and result in a higher risk of death and hospitalization, including in younger populations. Ford made the comment as he toured a new COVID-19 testing facility at Pearson International Airport on Wednesday afternoon. In Doug Ford’s Ontario, COVID-19 lockdowns have become meaningless April 1, 2021 B.C. At a news conference Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he is "extremely concerned" about both rising ICU admissions and daily case counts. "We only have a little ways to go. The Ministry of Education also reported another 332 school-related cases, including 282 students and 50 staff members. Our vaccine rollout is steadily increasing, and I encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated. Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments will be permitted to operate by take-out, drive-through, and delivery only; Prohibiting the use of facilities for indoor or outdoor sports and recreational fitness (e.g., gyms) with very limited exceptions; Limiting capacity at weddings, funerals, and religious services, rites or ceremonies to 15 per cent occupancy per room indoors, and to the number of individuals that can maintain two metres of physical distance outdoors. The Ministry of Health said 89,873 doses were administered provincewide Tuesday, a new record high. CTV News | Top Stories - Breaking News - Top News Headlines Ontario Premier Doug Ford is scheduled to make an announcement at 2:30 p.m. The premier was in North York with federal and Toronto municipal officials to announce joint funding to expand Canada's domestic vaccine manufacturing capacity at a Sanofi facility in North York. "Right now, the air crew is out instructing the passengers on the best way to protect themselves and prepare for impact," he said in an interview. "I don't know why we're waiting for the cabinet to have a conversation about politics versus public health," she said. "We also need a comprehensive safe workplace strategy for essential workers, like those working in warehouses and grocery stores, that includes receiving vaccines sooner.". Ontario Premier Doug Ford admitted to reporters on Thursday that reports of his government's intent to lock down the province for a third time are true. "We need to ensure our hospitals and PHUs [public health units] have the resources they need," he said in a statement. COVID-19 related ICU admissions are projected to exceed 650 beds in a few weeks. "We saw it before Christmas ... we've seen repeated dithering, we've seen repeated delays. Starting March 12, over 325 pharmacies will be offering the AstraZeneca vaccine to Ontarians aged 60-64, by appointment only. That is our best protection against this deadly virus.". "Implementing a provincewide shutdown is needed to bring the third wave of this pandemic under control so that we can save lives, keep our education system open and allow our vaccination program to take hold.". Ontario Premier Doug Ford says that there could be an announcement next week regarding the eventual reopening of the economy. In an email Tuesday, Ford's office outlined the current status of expected deliveries of vaccines until the end of April. Ontario Premier Doug Ford made the announcement Monday afternoon, while indicating that the declaration of a state of emergency will not be extended beyond Feb. 9. Today, Premier Doug Ford revealed that an announcement about reopening Ontario could come as early as Monday. “In our 2021 Budget we are providing funding to help people get to the vaccines, or to bring the vaccines to them. The previous peak of 420 came in mid-January, during the height of the second wave of the pandemic. "That is what our health care system is trying to do right now: prepare for impact and make sure that there's the maximum probability that people who need access to life-saving care can get it. Doug Ford With daily COVID-19 cases in Ontario spiking over 2,000 again, Premier Doug Ford teased a restrictions announcement, but was unwilling to pull the trigger on any news Wednesday afternoon. ", (You may notice ICU figures reported by CCSO often differ from those the Ministry of Health posts on its public COVID-19 dashboard. 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