If you missed the latest update from Ottawa Public Health, the city now has evidence of community spread of COVID-19, and is asking everyone to stay home.
Included in Premier Ford’s March 23rd announcement are the following:
Closure of Non-Essential Businesses: Premier Ford announced the mandatory closure of all non-essential workplaces and businesses, effective Wednesday, March 25th. A full list of businesses that are expected to close will be released tomorrow.
Education: The Premier stated that students will not be returning to school on April 6th and we await further details on that. To assist parents, the province has also launched a Learn At Home portal with resources.
Social Service Funding: The Ford government announced a $200 million fund for social services relief, and will be directed towards agencies serving vulnerable Ontarians as well as individuals who do not qualify for emergency federal support, to be administered through Ontario Works. Individuals can apply for this at Ontario.ca/community.
News on DriveTest, and expiring Licenses / Health Cards: Ontario has closed DriveTest Centres and has introduced measures to ensure Ontarians will not be penalized as a result of this. Read more about that here. They have also extended the validation period of drivers’ licenses, health cards and more.
Health Care: Ontario is waiving the three-month waiting period for OHIP coverage, and has announced the province will cover the cost of COVID-19 services for people without health insurance or OHIP coverage.
Childcare: The state of emergency declaration for Ontario required all licensed childcare centres to be closed. The government has since announced that certain centres will be allowed to re-open for the purpose of providing childcare for essential service workers.
Above all, please remember to stay at home and practice social distancing. This means keeping at least 2 meters away from others, and only leaving the house for essentials. We can only flatten the curve by supporting each other, and taking necessary precautions.
