Toronto to boost help for high-risk areas as second COVID-19 lockdown begins

Toronto will increase supports for residents in parts of the city that are bearing a higher burden of the COVID-19 epidemic, Mayor John Tory announced Monday.

“We have to fight this virus everywhere and we have to stop it everywhere,” said Tory, speaking at the COVID-19 update from city hall.

He said the city will retrofit city buses to provide mobile testing in the northeast and northwest parts of the city, where there has been a higher incidence of the disease, and use city vehicles to transport people to and from provincial testing sites.

The city will also conduct expanded education and outreach, partnering with 11 community organizations to help residents in the areas access testing, access the city’s isolation facility, and access existing income and sick leave supports.

The city has asked the provincial and federal governments for funding assistance, but Tory said he believes the other two orders of government will come through, and the programs will be rolled out immediately.

In addition, the city has asked the federal and provincial governments to provide paid sick leave for those who don’t have access to it, and to reinstate a moratorium on residential rental evictions and to expand income supports for newcomers to Canada, who are not currently eligible for emergency income assistance.

Monday marked the first day of Toronto’s second lockdown, after a rapidly growing second wave of the virus threatened to swamp the health-care system. Peel Region also re-entered lockdown on Monday.

The personal care industry has once again been shut down, including hair and nail salons; restaurants can no longer serve customers indoors or on patios and may only serve take-out; retailers can only provide curb side pick-up. Public pools and gyms have been closed and recreations programs suspended.

Primary and secondary schools and daycares remain open.

The second lockdown is to last 28 days, which would see restrictions lift on Dec. 21, if the numbers improve, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said a normal Christmas is “out of the question.”

Dr. Eileen de Villa, the city’s medical officer of health, reported 331 new COVID-19 cases in the city, pointing out that there have been 2,177 new cases since Wed., Nov. 18.

Of all the COVID-19 cases reported since the epidemic began, 45 per cent have been reported since Oct. 1, she added.

On Sunday, Dr. Karim Kurji, the medical officer of health for the Regional Municipality of York, issued a class order under Section 22 of the province’s Health Protection and Promotion Act, limiting events at special venues, including banquet halls, hotel conference rooms and convention centres, to no more than 50 people.

He also ordered malls and stores to set maximum capacities for shoppers, and actively monitor and manage the capacity, including lineups.

“There is increasing evidence safe and prescribed physical distancing rules and protocols are not being followed in meeting and event spaces, shopping malls and retail stores,” according to the York Region press release.

Failure to comply will now be met with a fine, upon conviction, of up to $5,000 for a person and $25,000 for a corporation, per day.

Francine Kopun is a Toronto-based reporter covering city hall and municipal politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: