Ottawa Included in Phase 2 of Ontario Re-opening;
Shopping malls, patios, hair stylists, and pools in Ottawa will be allowed to re-open on Friday (June 12).
The Province has announced that it is taking a regional approach to moving into Phase 2 of its re-opening plan, and Ottawa will be included in that. Also, the maximum size of social gatherings will be increased from five to ten province-wide, though physical distancing will need to continue.
Restrictions will not be eased in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, which has a high concentration of COVID-19 cases. Regions with outbreaks among migrant workers also won’t yet enter stage two, including Haldimand-Norfolk, Niagara and Windsor-Essex.
COVID-19 Ottawa:
Ottawa Public Health is reporting two more COVID-19 cases, and two more deaths related to the virus.
2006 cases have been confirmed in the capital since the start of the pandemic, and 254 deaths. 83 per cent have local patients have recovered.
COVID-19 Ontario:
Ontario is reporting 243 new COVID-19 cases Monday for a total of 30,860 cases.
That represents an increase of 0.8 per cent over Sunday, which is the lowest growth rate in the province since early March.
There were 24 more deaths, bringing the provincial total up to 2,450.
Commercial Eviction Ban Issued in Ontario:
The Ontario government is putting a temporary ban on commercial evictions to help small business owners who are struggling to pay their rent.
Premier Doug Ford says the moratorium applies to small businesses who qualify for the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program, where their revenues have dropped at least 70 per cent due to the pandemic.
Trudeau Proposes Body Cameras For RCMP:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has spoken with the commissioner of the RCMP about equipping police with body cameras.
He’ll propose to the premiers that they do the same with their own police forces when he speaks with them this week.
While Trudeau says he understands there are logistical and economic concerns about remote areas and the way the cameras would work, he says they could be a rapid, substantive solution to allegations of racism and brutality by police.