The government of Ontario has extended the deadline for filing an accessibility compliance report from December 31, 2020 to June 30, 2021.
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) sets out the process for developing, implementing, and enforcing accessibility standards to make Ontario more accessible and inclusive by 2025.
You must submit an accessibility compliance report if you are: • a business or non-profit organization with 20 or more employees • a public-sector organization
The compliance report confirms that businesses have met their current accessibility requirements under the AODA. Consequences for failing to complete an accessibility compliance report can include financial penalties.
NOTE: While the deadline to file the report has been extended, the timelines for compliance have not changed.
Websites: Beginning January 1, 2021, the requirement to ensure all public websites and web content posted after January 1, 2012 meets WCAG 2.0 Level AA, (with limited exceptions) applies for:
private or non-profit organization with 50+ employees or
public sector organizations
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More information on the web accessibility requirements and deadline can be found on the Ontario government website: How to make websites accessible
As had been widely expected, the government of Ontario today announced a province-wide shutdown that will go into effect as of Saturday, December 26, 2020, at 12:01 a.m.
A new support grant program was also announced to assist small businesses required to close or restrict services under the shutdown.
The government is advising that employers in all industries should make every effort to allow employees to work from home.
I am providing a brief summary for you with the full News Release following.
General All Ontarians are advised to stay home as much as possible with trips outside the home limited to necessities such as food, medication, medical appointments, or supporting vulnerable community members.
These measures will override any restrictions currently in place. The impacts of the shutdown measures will be evaluated throughout 14 days in Northern Ontario and 28 days in Southern Ontario to determine if it is safe to lift any restrictions or if they need to be extended.
Measures in the shutdown include, but are not limited to:
Gatherings: The shutdown restricts indoor organized public events and social gatherings, except with members of the same household (the people you live with). Individuals who live alone may consider having exclusive close contact with one other household.
Shopping: In-person shopping in most retail settings will be prohibited. Curbside pickup and delivery can continue. Discount and big box retailers selling groceries will be limited to 25 per cent capacity for in-store shopping. Supermarkets, grocery stores and similar stores that primarily sell food, as well as pharmacies, will continue to operate at 50 per cent capacity for in-store shopping.
Shopping Malls: Indoor access to shopping malls will be restricted. Patrons may only go to a designated indoor pickup area (by appointment only), essential retail stores that are permitted to be open (e.g. pharmacy, grocery store), or, subject to physical distancing and face covering requirements, to the food court for takeout purchases. Shopping malls may also establish outdoor designated pickup areas.
Dining: Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments will be permitted to operate by take out, drive-through, and delivery only. Indoor and outdoor dining is prohibited.
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Schools All publicly funded and private elementary and secondary schools are to move to teacher-led remote learning when students return from the winter break on January 4, 2021.
Schools in some Northern Public Health Unit regions can resume in-person instruction on January 11, 2021 for both elementary and secondary students. In all other Public Health Unit regions, elementary school students are planned to be able to return to in-person learning on January 11, 2021, and secondary school students will continue learning remotely until January 25, 2021.
Small Business Support Grant
The new Ontario Small Business Support Grant will provide a minimum of $10,000 and up to $20,000 to eligible small business owners to help navigate this challenging period.
The grant can be used in whatever way makes the most sense for each individual business, including paying employee wages and/or rent.
Eligible small businesses include those that:
Are required to close or significantly restrict services subject to the Provincewide Shutdown effective 12:01 a.m. on December 26, 2020;
Have less than 100 employees at the enterprise level; and
Have experienced a minimum of 20 per cent revenue decline in April 2020 compared to April 2019.
The grant provides businesses with dollar for dollar funding to a maximum of $20,000 to help cover decreased revenue expected as a result of the Provincewide Shutdown. The business must demonstrate they experienced a revenue decline of at least 20 per cent when comparing monthly revenue in April 2019 and April 2020.
Essential businesses that are allowed to remain open will not be eligible for this grant.
More information about the Ontario Small Business Support Grant is available here. Further details, including how to apply, will be announced in January 2021.
Businesses that are impacted by the Provincewide Shutdown will also be eligible for the property tax and energy cost rebates previously announced. More information can be found on the government website: Get COVID-19 relief funding for your business
TORONTO — As COVID-19 cases continue to rise at an alarming rate, the Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, is imposing a Provincewide Shutdown. Additional restrictions will be put into place and reinforce that Ontarians should stay at home as much as possible to minimize transmission of the virus and prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. The Provincewide Shutdown will go into effect as of Saturday, December 26, 2020, at 12:01 a.m.
Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health, and Dr. Naveed Mohammad, President and CEO, William Osler Health System.
“The number of daily cases continue to rise putting our hospitals and long-term care homes at risk,” said Premier Ford. “We need to stop the spread of this deadly virus. That’s why, on the advice of Dr. Williams and other health experts, we are taking the difficult but necessary decision to shutdown the province and ask people to stay home. Nothing is more important right now than the health and safety of all Ontarians.”
In response to these exceptional circumstances, the Provincewide Shutdown would put in place time-limited public health and workplace safety measures similar to those in other jurisdictions. It would help stop the trend of high COVID-19 transmission in communities, preserve health system capacity, safeguard vulnerable populations and those who care for them, and save lives. Measures include, but are not limited to:
Restricting indoor organized public events and social gatherings, except with members of the same household (the people you live with). Individuals who live alone may consider having exclusive close contact with one other household.
Prohibiting in-person shopping in most retail settings – curbside pickup and delivery can continue. Discount and big box retailers selling groceries will be limited to 25 per cent capacity for in-store shopping. Supermarkets, grocery stores and similar stores that primarily sell food, as well as pharmacies, will continue to operate at 50 per cent capacity for in-store shopping.
Restricting indoor access to shopping malls – patrons may only go to a designated indoor pickup area (by appointment only), essential retail stores that are permitted to be open (e.g. pharmacy, grocery store), or, subject to physical distancing and face covering requirements, to the food court for takeout purchases. Shopping malls may also establish outdoor designated pickup areas.
Prohibiting indoor and outdoor dining. Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments will be permitted to operate by take out, drive-through, and delivery only.
On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, all Ontarians are advised to stay home as much as possible with trips outside the home limited to necessities such as food, medication, medical appointments, or supporting vulnerable community members. Employers in all industries should make every effort to allow employees to work from home.
The current COVID-19 Response Framework will be paused when the Provincewide Shutdown comes into effect. The impacts of these time-limited measures will be evaluated throughout the 14 days in Northern Ontario and 28 days in Southern Ontario to determine if it is safe to lift any restrictions or if they need to be extended. The Chief Medical Officer of Health will assess and apply lessons learned thus far to the COVID-19 Response Framework to ensure appropriate and effective measures are in place to protect the health of Ontarians and enable economic recovery after the Provincewide Shutdown ends. This will include an assessment of how a revised approach for the safe reopening of retail may be operationalized, according to the latest available evidence.
“This was not an easy decision before the holidays, but we have reached a tipping point,” said Minister Elliott. “We continue to see sharp increases in hospitalizations and occupancy in intensive care units is reaching concerning levels. Urgent action must be taken to prevent our health care system from becoming overwhelmed. By implementing a Provincewide Shutdown, we can work to stop the virus in its tracks, safeguard hospital capacity, and save lives.”
The government is also providing $12.5 million to implement a High Priority Communities Strategy to contain the virus in high-risk communities. The strategy will take a tailored, community-based approach to fund community agencies in 15 priority communities in the York, Peel, Durham, Ottawa, and Toronto regions. The funding will also allow for the hiring of community ambassadors to make people aware of available services and assistance, for coordination of increased testing opportunities and for the arrangement of wraparound supports for those who are COVID-positive. Additional funding of $42 million will also be available to establish isolation centres.
The province will work with our local municipal partners to establish new isolation centres to help those who may need to isolate following testing.
“We continue to see the number of cases in the province grow and the trends in public health indicators worsen. Additional measures are needed provincewide in order to interrupt this concerning growth,” said Dr. Williams. “We must work together to enable everyone to follow these new and time-limited restrictions and protect our health system and our communities.”
The government is working to limit the transmission of COVID-19 in workplaces by supporting essential businesses in doing whatever is necessary to keep workers safe. The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development is leading a multi-ministry COVID-19 Safety Team. The team will partner with local authorities to carry out additional enforcement blitzes in sectors where they are needed most.
New School Protocols
While transmission in schools remains low, all publicly funded and private elementary and secondary schools are to move to teacher-led remote learning when students return from the winter break on January 4, 2021. This action is being taken in support of the Government’s broader efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Schools located in the following Public Health Unit regions can resume in-person instruction on January 11, 2021 for both elementary and secondary students:
The District of Algoma Health Unit
North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
Northwestern Health Unit
Porcupine Health Unit
Sudbury and District Health Unit
Thunder Bay District Health Unit
Timiskaming Health Unit
For schools in all other Public Health Unit regions, elementary school students are planned to be able to return to in-person learning on January 11, 2021, and secondary school students will continue learning remotely until January 25, 2021, at which point they may resume in-person learning. During this period, child care centres, authorized recreational and skill building programs and home-based child care services will remain open. From January 4-8, 2021, when elementary students move to remote learning, before and after school programs will be closed and emergency child care for health care and frontline workers will be provided. As part of the government’s efforts to protect the most vulnerable, boards will be required to make provisions for continued in-person support for students with special education needs who cannot be accommodated through remote learning for whom remote learning is challenging.
“While our schools are not a source of rising community transmission, we can play an important part of the solution to save lives from COVID-19,” said Minister Lecce. “During this period, students will pivot to teacher-led online learning, with child care provided for our frontline workers. We are taking proactive and preventative action to protect schools following the holiday break to ensure kids can continue in-class learning — something we believe is so important — for the remainder of the year.”
The New Ontario Small Business Support Grant
The government recognizes that small businesses impacted by these necessary public health measures will require additional support so they can continue serving their communities and employing people in Ontario once the COVID-19 pandemic is over. That is why the government is announcing the new Ontario Small Business Support Grant, which will provide a minimum of $10,000 and up to $20,000 to eligible small business owners to help navigate this challenging period.
“Ontario’s business owners have shown remarkable resolve and ingenuity throughout the pandemic. They know better than anyone what they need to come through this very difficult time, so they can continue to serve and employ people in their communities,” said Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance. “The new Ontario Small Business Support Grant will provide significant financial support to eligible small business owners in addition to the other supports made available to our small business community.”
Small businesses required to close or restrict services under the Provincewide Shutdown will be able to apply for this one-time grant. Each small business will be able to use the support in whatever way makes the most sense for their individual business. For example, some businesses will need support paying employee wages or rent, while others will need support maintaining their inventory.
Eligible small businesses include those that:
Are required to close or significantly restrict services subject to the Provincewide Shutdown effective 12:01 a.m. on December 26, 2020;
Have less than 100 employees at the enterprise level; and
Have experienced a minimum of 20 per cent revenue decline in April 2020 compared to April 2019.
Starting at $10,000 for all eligible businesses, the grant will provide businesses with dollar for dollar funding to a maximum of $20,000 to help cover decreased revenue expected as a result of the Provincewide Shutdown. The business must demonstrate they experienced a revenue decline of at least 20 per cent when comparing monthly revenue in April 2019 and April 2020. This time period was selected because it reflects the impact of the public health measures in spring 2020, and as such provides a representation of the possible impact of these latest measures on small businesses.
Essential businesses that are allowed to remain open will not be eligible for this grant. More information about the Ontario Small Business Support Grant is available here. Further details, including how to apply, will be announced in January 2021.
Businesses that are impacted by the Provincewide Shutdown will also be eligible for the property tax and energy cost rebates. In November, the government launched a program to provide rebates to offset fixed costs such as property tax and energy bills for businesses that are required to shut down or significantly restrict services due to provincial public health measures. These Ontario Small Business Support Grant rebates will continue to be available for businesses impacted by the Provincewide Shutdown and earlier restrictions. Business can apply for the rebates here.
Quick Facts
Currently, hospitalizations for COVID-19 have increased by 74 per cent over the last four weeks and are more than 15 times higher than they were at the beginning of September. Intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy for COVID-19 has more than doubled over the last four weeks and is 20 times higher than at the beginning of September.
Ontario currently has 915 COVID-19 patients requiring acute care, 265 patients in ICU, with 152 on a ventilator.
Based on the latest modelling data, cases across the province are continuing to grow and the number of people requiring an intensive care bed is projected to rise well above 300 people within the next 10 days.
Some jurisdictions around the world, including those in Canada have implemented similar time-limited measures to respond to a dramatic resurgence in cases. Based on their experiences, measures of four to six weeks are expected to interrupt transmission of COVID-19 in Ontario.
Municipalities and local medical officers of health may have additional restrictions or targeted requirements in their region.
If you have questions about what will be open or impacts to your business or employment, call the Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659.
Get tested if you have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, or if you have been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the COVID Alert App. Visit Ontario.ca/covidtest to find the nearest testing location.
The Ontario Small Business Support Grant is part of the Province’s more than $13.5 billion in support for people and jobs outlined in the 2020 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover. It is also in addition to $4.8 billion to address critical areas to support a strong long-term recovery that helps workers, employers and communities get back on their feet, while building the foundation for recovery and growth.
To find the right supports, visit COVID-19: Support for People, which has information about the many available and free mental health services and supports.
To stay safe you can download the COVID Alert App free from the Apple and Google Play app stores.
To date, as part of the province’s COVID-19 immunization program, over 3,000 frontline health care workers have been vaccinated.
Schools continue to be safe, and according to data reported by school boards, as of Friday, December 18: approximately 99.64 per cent of students in Ontario have not reported a case of COVID-19; approximately 92 per cent of schools across the province have had either no cases or one case reported within the last 14 days; and approximately 80 per cent of schools do not have an case of COVID-19.
The government of Ontario announced that it is extending regulatory changes to the Employment Standards Act that were originally brought forward to address the impact of the COVID pandemic.
The changes, previously set to expire January 2, 2021, have been extended to July 3, 2021. They effect all non-union employees and unionized employees in hospitality and other hard-hit industries.
Non-union employees Employers can put non-unionized employees on job-protected leave during the COVID-19 outbreak any time their hours of work are temporarily reduced by the employer due to the pandemic
This measure is intended to provide relief to employers while preventing temporary layoffs from becoming permanent.
Union employees in hospitality and other hard-hit industries
The government is creating a special industry regulation allowing employers to negotiate alternative arrangements with unions for putting termination and severance pay into trust for laid-off employees.
Employers with laid-off unionized workers need to put all potential termination and severance payments in a trust after 35 weeks while employees wait to be recalled to their jobs.
For companies in effected industries, employers and unions have the option to use those funds to help keep business doors open.
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NOTE: The provision is only available if unions and employers both agree to create alternative arrangements. For instance, an employer and union could agree to only 50 per cent of termination and severance pay being put into trust. Employers will not be able to implement these changes unilaterally.
For your reference I have included the full News Release below.
I hope you find this information useful and that you, your fellow workers, family and loved ones are safe and healthy and will continue to observe and practice the protocols and guidance provided by our Public Health officials, as difficult as it may be during the holiday season and coming weeks.
TORONTO – The Ontario government is taking action to protect jobs by helping businesses avoid costly payouts and potential closures and continues offering protection to workers that are laid off due to COVID-19. These measures are being adopted through the extension of regulatory amendments that were put in place at the outset of the pandemic and through the introduction of a new regulation.
“Business owners continue to face challenging times during this pandemic, with many struggling to keep their doors open. Having to come up with termination and severance pay at this time could drive many of them under,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “Our government will continue to provide businesses with the support they need until they can reopen and return to full operations. We want to ensure employees have jobs to return to when the economy rebounds from the COVID-19 economic crisis.
For employers with non-unionized employees, the government is extending regulatory changes brought forward under the Employment Standards Act to July 3, 2021.The regulation’s changes include putting non-unionized employees on job-protected leave during the COVID-19 outbreak any time their hours of work are temporarily reduced by their employer due to the pandemic to prevent temporary layoffs from becoming permanent. Under the Act, temporary layoffs become terminations when they exceed the permitted period. Previously set to expire on January 2, 2021, the extension of this amendment ensures that workers remain employed while providing relief to employers.
To support the hospitality industry and other hard-hit industries, the government is creating a special industry regulation allowing employers to negotiate alternative arrangements with unions for putting termination and severance pay into trust for laid-off employees. Employers with laid-off unionized workers need to put all potential termination and severance payments in a trust after 35 weeks while employees wait to be recalled to their jobs.
Given the unique challenges that many employers in the tourism and hospitality industries are facing as a result of COVID-19, the government is providing employers and unions the option to use those funds to help keep business doors open. The provision is only available if unions and employers both agree to create alternative arrangements. For instance, an employer and union could agree to only 50 per cent of termination and severance pay being put into trust. Employers will not be able to implement these changes unilaterally.
“Allowing unions and employers in the hospitality, tourism and trade show industries to work together to develop a solution based approach during this crisis is critical to keep them open and allow them to fully recover,” said Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. “This initiative supports our government’s commitment laid out in the 2020 Ontario Budget to provide unprecedented support for people and jobs during this challenging time. These actions will help us lay the groundwork for a robust long-term economic recovery for the province.”
Learn about Ontario’s early years, education and training systems. Includes information on child care, elementary schools, secondary schools, colleges, universities, skills training and financial aid. Learn more
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The government of Ontario this week made four announcements that you should be aware of.
WSIB Premiums On Tuesday the government introduced the Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act, 2020 that would, if passed, protect employers from an unexpected increase in WSIB premiums, while maintaining an increase to the maximum earnings cap for worker benefits.
Extension of Emergency Orders The most routine of the four announcements is that all orders currently in force under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 (ROA) will be extended to January 20, 2021.
As I have advised previously, this and other extensions are largely a matter of legislative ‘housekeeping’ in that the original Act requires periodic review and extension for certain COVID-19 related health and safety regulations to continue.
More regions moving to higher levels The government announced Friday that more regions will be moving to higher levels of regulations and restrictions.
The following public health regions will move from their current level in the framework to the following levels effective Monday, December 14, 2020 at 12:01 a.m.:
Grey-Lockdown
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit; and
York Region Public Health.
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Red-Control
Middlesex-London Health Unit;
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit; and
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
Orange-Restrict
Eastern Ontario Health Unit.
Yellow-Protect
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit.
All other public health regions will remain at their current level. This page on the Ontario government website has the full list of public health region classifications: Ontario.ca/covidresponse Vaccine Distribution Strategy On Friday the government also outlined the strategy and general schedule for the provincial distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. This will be a three-phase implementation plan to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccines.
This adds detail to the announcement on Thursday that the first shipments will be sent to the University Health Network in Toronto and Ottawa Hospital on Tuesday, December 15.
For your reference I have included the full announcements below.
I hope you find this information useful and that you, your fellow workers, family and loved ones are safe and healthy and will continue to observe and practice the protocols and guidance provided by our Public Health officials, as difficult as it may be in the coming weeks.
TORONTO – The Ontario government introduced the Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act, 2020 that would, if passed, protect employers from an unexpected increase in Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) premiums, while maintaining an increase to the maximum earnings cap for worker benefits.
The loss of jobs among lower wage workers, including those in the retail, hospitality and the service sector, during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase in the average industrial wage (AIG) of Ontario workers by 7.8 per cent, compared to an average increase of 2-3 per cent. The proposed amendment would limit the impact the increase the AIG has on WSIB premiums to 2 per cent, making sure struggling business owners aren’t subject to sudden undue costs during these challenging times.
Additionally, this new amendment will not impact the 7.8 per cent increase in the earning cap for workers, ensuring they will continue to be fairly compensated for work-related injuries and occupational diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our government is protecting jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic by giving employers the support they need to get through this difficult time,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “Our proposed amendments will help businesses, while making sure that we continue to support workers who are injured on the job.”
The WSIB has frozen premium rates for Ontario employers for another year at the same levels paid in 2020.
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is Ontario’s workplace insurance provider and covers over five million people in more than 300,000 workplaces across Ontario.
The WSIB eliminated its unfunded liability charge in January 2020, leading to a $607 million reduction in costs to businesses.
Related Topics
Jobs and Employment
We’ve got the resource and supports to help connect job seekers with employers. Learn more
Law and Safety
Ontario’s laws and related information about our legal system, emergency services, the Ontario Provincial Police and victim services. Learn more
TORONTO — The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, is extending all orders currently in force under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 (ROA) until January 20, 2021. This extension will support the safe delivery of health care and other critical services until COVID-19 vaccines are approved and widely available.
“Safeguarding the health and well-being of Ontarians remains our top priority at every stage of our COVID-19 response,” said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. “As we prepare to implement a safe and effective immunization program, extending these orders will ensure tools remain in place to address urgent public health situations until all Ontarians can be vaccinated.”
Ontario continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by taking the actions needed to support and keep Ontarians safe. Effective December 7, 2020, under the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework, the government, in consultation with health officials, amended O.Reg. 363/20 (Stages of Reopening) to move three public health units to new levels. This action imposes stricter public health measures in an effort to reduce transmission in these regions and avoid broader closures.
The government also made amendments to O. Reg 82/20 (Rules for Areas in Stage 1) under the ROA, which applies to public health unit regions in the Stage 1 lockdown. These amendments, which came into force December 4, 2020, permit indoor farmer’s markets that primarily sell groceries, to be open. For post-secondary institutions, the amendments increase the limit on the number of persons permitted in an instructional space at any one time for in-person instruction or in-person exams from 10 to 50 people for certain programs critical to supporting the health care workforce as set out in the order.
The ROA requires the Premier to table a report on any amendments or extensions of any orders within 120 days after the first anniversary of the ROA coming into force.
TORONTO — The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, local medical officers of health, and other health experts, is moving seven public health regions to new levels with stronger public health measures, including Windsor-Essex County Health Unit and York Region Public Health moving into Grey-Lockdown. These steps are being taken to stop the spread of COVID-19 in order to keep schools open in the regions where in-class learning is permitted, safeguard health system capacity, and protect the province’s most vulnerable populations. The regional levels and specific public health measures are set out in the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework.
“Moving a region into Grey-Lockdown is not an easy decision, but it is one we needed to make in order to help stop the spread of the virus and safeguard the key services we rely on,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “As we enter the holiday season and as the province prepares to receive its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines, it remains crucial for all Ontarians to continue adhering to public health advice and workplace safety measures to reduce the spread of the virus and keep each other safe.”
Based on the latest data, the following public health regions will move from their current level in the framework to the following levels effective Monday, December 14, 2020 at 12:01 a.m.:
Grey-Lockdown
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit; and
York Region Public Health.
Red-Control
Middlesex-London Health Unit;
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit; and
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
Orange-Restrict
Eastern Ontario Health Unit.
Yellow-Protect
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit.
All other public health regions will remain at their current level. Please visit Ontario.ca/covidresponse for the full list of public health region classifications.
“Over the last week, public health indicators in the York and Windsor regions have continued to trend in the wrong direction and it is evident additional measures are needed to help limit the spread of the virus,” said Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health. “By making this difficult but necessary decision we can help to ensure that hospitals in these regions can work to provide patients with the care they need when they need it, including the performing of scheduled surgeries and other important procedures.”
For long-term care homes, visitor restrictions apply to those homes in the public health unit regions that are in the Orange-Restrict level or higher. In addition, long-term care homes must implement recently enhanced testing requirements.
Trends in public health data will continue to be reviewed weekly to determine if public health units should stay where they are or be moved into a different level. Public health units will stay in their level for a minimum of 28 days, or two COVID-19 incubation periods, at which time, the government will assess the impact of public health measures to determine if the public health unit should stay where they are or be moved to a different level. The government and the Chief Medical Officer of Health will continue to consult regularly with local medical officers of health on local context and conditions to help inform the classification of their public health unit region.
Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are mild;
Maintain two metres of physical distancing from anyone outside your household;
Avoid social gatherings and limit close contacts to your household or the people you live with;
Adhere to the restrictions in your region on public and private gatherings;
Wear a face covering indoors and wear one outdoors if physical distancing may not be maintained or if wearing one is required;
Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly;
Cover your cough;
Get tested if you have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, or if you’ve been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the COVID Alert mobile app;
Individuals and families from higher transmission regions should avoid travel to lower transmission regions, except for essential reasons; and
No matter where you live in the province, the safest way to spend the holidays this year is by only celebrating in person with the people you live with and celebrating virtually with everyone else. People who live alone may have exclusive close contact with one additional household to help prevent feelings of isolation and mitigate against negative mental health impacts.
The Ontario government is now providing $600 million in property tax and energy cost rebates to support eligible businesses required to close or significantly restrict services due to enhanced public health measures, doubling its initial commitment of $300 million made in the 2020 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover. To apply for this funding please visit Businesses: Get help with COVID-19 costs.
Learn how to celebrate the holidays safely with the people you live with by visiting Ontario.ca/celebratesafely.
Get tested if you have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, or if you have been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the COVID Alert app. Visit Ontario.ca/covidtest to find the nearest testing location.
To find the right supports, visit COVID-19: Support for People, which has information about the many available and free mental health services and supports.
If you have questions about what will be open or impacts to your business or employment, call the Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659.
To stay safe, you can download the COVID Alert App free from the Apple and Google Play app stores.
TORONTO — The Ontario government has developed a three-phase implementation plan to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccines to Ontarians as soon as they are received. Phase One will begin on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 with a pilot project in Toronto and Ottawa which will include the vaccination of over 2,500 health care workers with the Health Canada approved Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones and General Rick Hillier (retired), Chair of the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force.
“We are ready to receive these vaccines as soon as they become available thanks to the excellent work of our health care officials and General Hillier and the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force,” said Premier Ford. “We have one of the most robust and comprehensive plans in the country and I am confident that all the necessary security measures and the advanced logistics systems are in place. The progress we are making is a welcome sign, but we must continue to be vigilant and follow the public health guidelines until vaccines are widely available.”
As part of Phase One, Ontario will be participating in a COVID-19 vaccine readiness pilot in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Pfizer-BioNTech. Two pilot sites at University Health Network in Toronto and The Ottawa Hospital will receive doses of the Pfizer vaccine to be administered to health care workers who are providing care in hospitals and long-term care homes.
This pilot will help inform the province’s preparedness plan to receive larger vaccine quantities as it moves forward in Phase One, providing the opportunity to test the logistics of delivery, reconstitution of the vaccine, clinic management, and post-vaccine surveillance. The pilot also affords the opportunity to learn from the experiences of those being immunized so lessons learned can be shared with sites that will receive the vaccine in the coming weeks and months.
The two locations were selected for the pilot because this will test the travel logistics in two different regions of the province. In addition, these sites already have the equipment necessary to safely store the Pfizer vaccine at -70 degrees and the trained staff to handle the vaccine. Since this vaccine cannot be transferred beyond the initial delivery location at this time, vaccinations will be administered to health care workers in high-risk areas such as long-term care and critical care units in the Toronto and Ottawa regions.
“Keeping everyone safe is our top priority and this vaccine is Health Canada approved and ready to be administered,” said Minister Elliott. “By vaccinating and protecting people who provide essential care in hospitals and long-term care homes, we will decrease the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks in these settings. Thank you to our frontline heroes, volunteers, and to all the researchers who made this vaccine possible. As we continue to receive more doses, we will ensure that every person who wants a vaccine will receive one.”
Phase One will continue with the following key milestones:
Based on per capita allocations, an expected 90,000 Pfizer-BioNTech doses received from the federal government will be delivered to up to 14 hospital sites in Grey-Lockdown and Red-Control zones in December, to vaccinate health care workers in hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes and other congregate settings caring for seniors.
Deliveries of an expected 35,000 to 85,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, once approved, will enable vaccinations to be expanded to long-term care homes in the Grey-Lockdown areas.
In early 2021, expansion of additional hospital sites providing the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Grey-Lockdown and Red-Control zones, with continued vaccination provided to health care workers and, with the appropriate safety protocols, to long-term care home and retirement home residents.
It is anticipated that by end of January over 20 hospitals across the province will be administering the Pfizer vaccine.
An expansion of the number of locations to administer the Moderna vaccine would include long-term care homes, retirement homes, public heath units, other congregate care settings for seniors, and remote Indigenous communities.
When an increased stockpile of vaccines becomes available to Ontario, the province will shift to Phase Two of its vaccination implementation plan, which is expected to begin later in the winter of 2021. During Phase Two, vaccinations will be administered to health care workers, as well as to residents in long-term care homes and retirement homes, to home care patients with chronic conditions and to additional First Nation communities and urban Indigenous populations, including Métis and Inuit individuals.
Ontario will enter Phase Three when vaccines are available for every Ontarian who wishes to be immunized. While vaccines will not be mandated, during Phase Three, people will be strongly encouraged to get vaccinated.
“The launch of Ontario’s three-phase vaccine implementation plan is a vital milestone in our ongoing work to keep Ontarians safe and overcome these unprecedented times,” said Solicitor General Jones. “This limited rollout in Toronto and Ottawa will allow us to test our process as we prepare for the increased availability of vaccines from the federal government.”
“In launching the vaccine distribution plan in three phases, we are able to test and refine the logistics involved to better ensure success in this massive undertaking,” said General Hillier. “The members of the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force will closely monitor and assess the pilot project and provide recommendations for the next phases.”
As the province prepares to rollout its phased vaccination program and head into the holiday season, it remains critically important that all Ontarians continue following public health advice to protect our communities and most vulnerable populations, and to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Quick Facts
The province’s decision to identify key populations to receive the vaccine first is based on the advice of medical experts and ethicists, recommended by the Ministers’ COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force and aligned with the National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s recommendations.
On December 9, 2020, Health Canada authorized the first COVID-19 vaccine in Canada, manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech. Health Canada authorized the vaccine after an independent and thorough scientific review for safety, effectiveness and quality. Health Canada will continue to monitor the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.
The Ministers’ COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force is focusing on key areas such as delivery, logistics and administration, clinical guidance, and public education and outreach. The task force includes experts in public health and immunization, health and clinical domains, ethics, behavioural science, operations and logistics, federal-provincial and Indigenous relations, and information technology and data.
To help everyone stay safe, download the COVID Alert app. It is free to use and is available from the Apple and Google Play app stores. This app lets users know if they may have been exposed to the virus.
Following the federal government’s Fall Economic Statement of last week, Prime Minister Trudeau has announced that eligible businesses facing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic are able to access a second CEBA (Canada Emergency Business Account) loan of up to $20,000. This is available on top of the $40,000 from the initial CEBA program.
Half of this additional financing, up to $10,000, will be forgivable if the loan is repaid by December 31, 2022.
This effectively increases CEBA loans from the existing $40,000 to $60,000 for eligible businesses, of which a total of $20,000 will be forgiven if the balance of the loan is repaid on time.
The application deadline for CEBA has also been extended to March 31, 2021.
To apply, eligible businesses and not-for-profits need to contact the financial institution that provided their initial CEBA loan and provide the appropriate information and documentation.
Ontario: Three Public Health Units move to higher levels
On Friday, December 4, the Ontario government announced that these three public health regions will be moving to new levels of COVID measures.
Moving to Orange – Restrict
Middlesex-London Public Health Unit
Thunder Bay Public Health Unit
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Moving to Yellow – Protect:
Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Unit
All other public health regions will remain at their current level. This page on the Ontario government website has the full list of public health region classifications: COVID-19 Response framework
In announcing the change in levels, the government reiterated the recommendations that apply to all public health unit regions in the province:
Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are mild;
Maintain two metres of physical distancing from everyone else;
Avoid social gatherings and limit close contacts to your household or the people you live with;
Adhere to the restrictions in your region on public and private gatherings;
Wear a face covering indoors and wear one outdoors if physical distancing may not be maintained or if wearing one is required;
Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly;
Cover your cough;
Get tested if you have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, or if you’ve been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the COVID Alert mobile app;
Individuals and families from higher transmission regions should avoid travel to lower transmission regions, except for essential reasons; and
TORONTO — The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, local medical officers of health, and other health experts, is moving three public health regions to new levels with stronger public health measures as set out in the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework. These steps are being taken to stop the spread of COVID-19 in order to keep schools open, safeguard health system capacity, and protect the province’s most vulnerable populations.
“Over the last seven days we have seen the trends in key public health indicators continue to go in the wrong direction in these three regions,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By taking proactive action and moving these regions to a higher level in the framework, we are helping them to reduce transmission in the community and avoid broader closures. The health and well-being of Ontarians remains our top priority.”
Based on the latest data, the following public health regions will move from their current level in the framework to the following levels effective Monday, December 7, 2020 at 12:01 a.m.:
Orange-Restrict
Middlesex-London Health Unit; and
Thunder Bay District Health Unit.
Yellow-Protect
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit.
All other public health regions will remain at their current level. Please visit Ontario.ca/covidresponse for the full list of public health region classifications.
For long-term care homes, visitor restrictions apply to those homes in the public health unit regions that are in the Orange-Restrict level or higher. In addition, long-term care homes must implement recently enhanced testing requirements.
Trends in public health data will continue to be reviewed weekly to determine if public health units should stay where they are or be moved into a higher level. Public health units will stay in their level for a minimum of 28 days, or two COVID-19 incubation periods, at which time, the government will assess the impact of public health measures to determine if the public health unit should stay where they are or be moved to a different level. The Ministry of Health will continue to consult regularly with local medical officers of health on local context and conditions to help inform the classification of their public health unit region.
All Ontarians should avoid close contact with anyone not living in the same household. People who live alone may have exclusive close contact with one additional household to prevent feelings of isolation and mitigate against negative mental health impacts. Ontarians should also follow all required public health measures, and public health advice, as we approach the holiday season.
No matter where you live in the province, the safest way to spend the holidays this year is by only celebrating in person with the people you live with and celebrating virtually with everyone else. People who live alone may have exclusive close contact with one additional household.
“As we continue in our fight against the second wave of COVID-19 and begin preparing for the holiday season, it remains crucial for all Ontarians to continue following public health measures and advice,” said Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health. “By limiting close contact to those who you live with and by adhering to public event and social gathering limits, we can once again bend the curve and prevent the need for further restrictions.”
The following recommendations apply to all public health unit regions in the province:
Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are mild;
Maintain two metres of physical distancing from everyone else;
Avoid social gatherings and limit close contacts to your household or the people you live with;
Adhere to the restrictions in your region on public and private gatherings;
Wear a face covering indoors and wear one outdoors if physical distancing may not be maintained or if wearing one is required;
Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly;
Cover your cough;
Get tested if you have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, or if you’ve been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the COVID Alert mobile app;
Individuals and families from higher transmission regions should avoid travel to lower transmission regions, except for essential reasons; and
Get tested if you have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, or if you have been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the COVID Alert app. Visit Ontario.ca/covidtest to find the nearest testing location.
To find the right supports, visit COVID-19: Support for People, which has information about the many available and free mental health services and supports.
The Ontario government is now providing $600 million in relief to support eligible businesses required to close or significantly restrict services due to enhanced public health measures, doubling its initial commitment of $300 million made in the 2020 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support Recover.
If you have questions about what will be open or impacts to your business or employment, call the Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659.
To stay safe, you can download the COVID Alert App free from the Apple and Google Play app stores.
