Daily COVID-19 Update - June 8, 2020
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Ontario Stage 2 Reopening
Premier Doug Ford outlined the details of Phase 2 of Ontario's plan to lift restrictions on its semi-lockdown, implemented to help curb the spread of COVID-19, at his daily briefing this afternoon.
Twenty-four of Ontario's 34 public health units will be allowed to move into Phase 2 on Friday.
The size of allowable gatherings has also increased from five to ten, as long as physical distancing measures are in place, and places of worship will be able to welcome congregants in person again if they remain at 30% of building capacity. These two measures are in effect across Ontario regardless of public health unit.
In areas allowed to begin stage 2, reopening includes but is not limited to - restaurants and bars reopening outdoor eating areas, hairdressers, tattoo and piercing studios and other personal services reopening with public health restrictions in place and museums and libraries reopening following certain precautions.
The following public health units will be able to begin stage 2 on June 12, 2020.
- Algoma Public Health
- Brant County Health Unit
- Chatham-Kent Public Health
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit
- Grey Bruce Health Unit
- Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
- Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
- Huron Perth Public Health
- Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health
- Leeds Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit
- Middlesex-London Health Unit
- North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
- Northwestern Health Unit
- Ottawa Public Health
- 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-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
The following regions will remain in Stage 1 until trends of key public health indicators demonstrate readiness to move into Stage 2:
- Durham Region Health Department
- Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit
- Halton Region Public Health
- Hamilton Public Health Services
- Lambton Public Health
- Niagara Region Public Health
- Peel Public Health
- Toronto Public Health
- Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
- York Region Public Health
At the beginning of each week, the government will provide an update on the ongoing assessment of these regions, and whether they are ready to move into Stage 2 at the end of the week.
Ontario Ban on Commercial Evictions
The Ontario government announced today that it intends to take action to protect commercial tenants from being locked out or having their assets seized by their landlords due to the negative impacts of COVID-19.
The proposed changes to the Commercial Tenancies Act would, if passed, temporarily halt evictions of businesses that are eligible for federal/provincial rent assistance. If passed, the legislation would reverse evictions that occurred on or after June 3, 2020 and would last until August 31, 2020.
CERB Eligibility Period
Yesterday marked the beginning of a new eligibility period for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB).
These programs work on a 4-week eligibility period basis, meaning that individuals must apply for each 4-week period. For both CERB and CESB, the new four-week period begins today. This means that you must re-apply if you wish to continue receiving benefits.