Vital updates:
- Niagara Region will consider a bylaw on Wednesday mandating the use of masks in indoor spaces where physical distancing is impossible. St. Catharines will consider a similar motion this evening, and Niagara Falls will do so on the 14th. Stores and businesses already practicing physical distancing for staff and customers are unlikely to be affected, since the proposed motion (as yet undrafted) reportedly will only address those locations where physical distancing is not possible. Enforcement will presumably be via bylaw enforcement officers, although details of the penalties involved are not yet known.
- The governments of Canada and Ontario are jointly investing in roads and bridges for Niagara communities. The City of Welland will see the construction of a bridge over the Welland Canal at the site of the former Forks Road lift bridge, which was demolished in 2019. Other projects include the reconstruction of parts of Drummond Road, Gallinger Street, and Portage Road in the City of Niagara Falls, and the reconstruction and rehabilitation of St. Ann’s Road and bridge in the Township of West Lincoln. The Government of Canada is investing more than $9.9 million in these projects through the Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure Stream (RNIS) of the Investing in Canada plan. The Government of Ontario is also contributing over $6.6 million; and the municipalities involved are contributing over $17.8 million combined to the projects.
- As the province safely and gradually reopens, the Ontario government is investing $3 million to provide free online health and safety training for the first time. These virtual courses will make it easier for job seekers and workers to get essential qualifications, while practising physical distancing and preventing the spread of COVID-19. The announcement was made today by Premier Doug Ford and Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Up to 100,000 job seekers can now take free online workplace health and safety training through Employment Ontario. There are 10 courses on offer, which include topics such as infection control, conducting health and safety incident investigations, ladder safety, slips, trips and falls prevention, and preventing workplace violence and harassment. Job seekers should contact an Employment Ontario service provider in their area to enroll.
Reading recommendations:
- The Science of Mask-Wearing Hasn’t Changed. So Why Have Our Expectations? Maggie Koerth, FiveThirtyEight
- How to build a better Canada after COVID-19: Rethinking immigration can boost the economy, Anna Triandafyllidou, The Conversation
- How fashion retailers are surviving COVID-19 on the long road back to normalcy, Ross Marowits, CBC News
If you are showing symptoms, you must self-isolate for a minimum of 14 days. Call a public health authority immediately. Do not visit any healthcare provider in person before you have been directly advised to by public health authorities.
Remember that a COVID-19 test is only a snapshot of your health on the specific date and time the swab was taken. No testing is perfect and a negative result doesn’t mean you haven’t been exposed to COVID-19. You can still develop symptoms days after your test was taken.
It is important that everyone practice physical distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Maintain a 2-metre distance from other people. When maintaining distance is impossible, use a face mask. Wash hands frequently and thoroughly. Avoid touching the face. If you have recently traveled outside the country, you are legally required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Previous updates can be accessed here.
Stay safe and be vigilant. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.
