In this edition:

Ontario advances next stage of reopening to February 17
More than 98% of Niagara Region employees now vaccinated
Vaccination clinic locations and times for February 14-20

Ontario advances next stage of reopening to February 17

The Ontario government is easing public health measures sooner, with the next phase of measures being eased on February 17, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. Measures that will be changed at that time include, but are not limited to:

• Increasing social gathering limits to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors
• Increasing organized public event limits to 50 people indoors, with no limit outdoors
• Removing capacity limits in the following indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is required, including but not limited to:
  • Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments without dance facilities
  • Non-spectator areas of sports and recreational fitness facilities, including gyms
  • Cinemas
  • Meeting and event spaces, including conference centres or convention centres
  • Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
  • Indoor areas of settings that choose to opt-in to proof of vaccination requirements.
• Allowing 50 per cent of the usual seating capacity at sports arenas
• Allowing 50 percent of the usual seating capacity for concert venues and theatres
• Increasing indoor capacity limits to 25 per cent in the remaining higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, including nightclubs, restaurants where there is dancing, as well as bathhouses and sex clubs
• Increasing capacity limits for indoor weddings, funerals or religious services, rites, or ceremonies to the number of people who can maintain two metres physical distance. Capacity limits are removed if the location opts-in to use proof of vaccination or if the service, rite, or ceremony is occurring outdoors.

Capacity limits in other indoor public settings, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, retail and shopping malls, will be maintained at, or increased to, the number of people who can maintain two metres physical distance.

On March 1st, the government will lift the requirement to verify vaccine status, although businesses and other settings may choose to continue to require proof-of-vaccination, as well as all capacity limits. Mask mandates will remain in effect.

Click here to learn more.

More than 98% of Niagara Region employees now vaccinated

Today, Niagara Region announced more than 98 per cent of active employees are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

At Council’s direction, Niagara Region introduced a mandatory vaccination policy for all Regional employees in September 2021. This action ensures Regional workplaces are protected from the effects of COVID-19 and supports the municipality’s main priority of keeping employees and residents safe, and reducing the spread of coronavirus.

At this time, approximately 4,100 employees covered under the policy are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which represents 98.4 per cent of the active workforce across all departments.

Click here to learn more.

Vaccination clinic locations and times for February 14-20

Walk-ins and appointments are available for Niagara Region Public Health vaccination clinics taking place across Niagara. Eligible residents can walk-in, or book an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination either online through the provincial portal at Ontario.ca/bookvaccine or by calling the provincial booking system at 1-833-943-3900.

Clinic hours vary by location – please visit the Region’s clinic schedule webpage for full details.

• Feb. 14-20 – Niagara Falls, Canada One Outlet Mall (beside Urban Kids)
• Feb. 14 – Wainfleet Firefighter’s Community Hall
• Feb. 15-17 – St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre
• Feb. 18 – Port Colborne Visitors Information Centre
• Feb. 19 – Smithville Public School
• Feb. 20 – Fort Erie, Our Lady of Victory Catholic Elementary School

Click here to learn more.

Reading Recommendations

Canadian dollar touches 10-day low amid Ukraine uncertainty

Reuters

The Canadian dollar edged lower against the greenback on Monday, as investors weighed warnings that Russia could invade Ukraine at any time and a major trade route between Canada and the United States reopened.

World shares skidded and the safe-haven U.S. dollar gained ground against a basket of major currencies as the United States said Russia might create a surprise pretext for an attack on Ukraine.

Still, hints by Ukraine at possible concessions to Russia helped cap the price of oil, one of Canada’s major exports.

U.S. crude prices fell 0.6% to $92.55 a barrel, while the Canadian dollar was trading 0.1% lower at 1.2752 to the greenback, or 78.42 U.S. cents. It touched its weakest intraday level since Feb. 4 at 1.2783.

As the blockades have shown, anarchy is usually bad for business

CBC News

It seems pretty clear that even as a break from Ottawa mid-winter ennui, any thrill offered by wall-to-wall occupation of the streets around Parliament Hill got old very quickly.

After experiencing a state of what many, including at least one Conservative member of Parliament, have described as anarchy, there are no doubt many Canadians currently ruminating on the advantages of boring old parliamentary democracy, despite its many drawbacks.

“I ask that we clear the streets and that we stop this occupation controlled by radicals and anarchist groups,” tweeted Quebec Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus in frustration.

Anarchism, like socialism and liberalism, means different things to different people — and shows up on both sides of the political spectrum.

The form we are seeing now, whether urban or at border crossing blockades, comes with an economic cost.