Ontarians aged 50+ and high-risk individuals to be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine boosters from December 13
The Ontario government is accelerating COVID-19 vaccine booster dose eligibility to Ontarians aged 50 and over and additional high-risk individuals.
Starting on Monday, December 13, 2021 at 8:00 a.m., individuals aged 50 and over will be eligible to schedule their booster dose appointment through the COVID-19 vaccination portal, by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre, through Indigenous-led vaccination clinics, select pharmacies and primary care settings. Appointments will be booked for approximately six months (168 days) after a second dose.
Click here for more information.
Public Health issues legally binding directives to indoor sport and recreational facilities
Niagara has joined 26 other local public health jurisdictions in Ontario in issuing a letter of instructions to sporting and recreational fitness facilities. A letter of instruction is issued under Section 2, Schedule 1 of Ontario Regulation 364/20 under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act. This letter of instruction creates legally binding requirements for anyone responsible for a business or organization that operates indoor areas of facilities within the Niagara Region that are used for sports, athletic and recreational fitness activities.
The instructions require the following:
- Controlling the capacity in the highest risk areas of these facilities (e.g. change rooms) to facilitate physical distance and reduce the spread of infection.
- Closing exceptions and loopholes in the current proof of vaccination requirement to use indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities. Operators are now instructed that all persons age 12 and older must have shown proof of vaccination to enter these facilities, unless a person has a valid medical exemption.
- Requiring a vaccination policy for employees of these facilities. Given vaccine-eligible patrons must be vaccinated to protect each other and the staff of the facilities, staff should provide the same protection back to patrons.
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Auditor General to release 4 new reports on the Government of Canada’s response to COVID‑19
On Thursday, December 9, 2021, Karen Hogan, Auditor General of Canada, will deliver 4 additional audits on the government’s response to the COVID‑19 pandemic. Tabling to the House of Commons is expected at approximately 2:00 p.m. eastern standard time. Titles and descriptions of the reports are provided at the link below.
Click here for more information.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance to provide an economic and fiscal update
The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, will present an Economic and Fiscal Update in the House of Commons on December 14, 2021, at approximately 4:00 p.m. eastern standard time.
The update will provide information on the current state of the economy and the Government of Canada’s continued support for Canadians and Canadian businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Government of Canada releases ‘What We Heard’ report on Temporary Foreign Worker accommodations
The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough today released a ‘What We Heard Report’ summarizing feedback from consultations on employer-provided accommodations in the agriculture sector to help guide further improvements to the TFW Program.
While stakeholder views differed on the adequacy and practicality of proposed accommodation requirements for employers in primary agriculture, some key themes emerged:
- Give further consideration to provincial/territorial and local jurisdiction;
- Recognize different styles of accommodations and rural settings;
- Establish ratios (e.g. on the occupancy and use of sleeping quarters, living spaces, washrooms, and kitchen and laundry facilities) that are consistent and evidence-based; and
- Be the same for seasonal and year-round workers where possible.
Stakeholders also called for improvements to the federal inspections regime, and for the federal government to help address the financial implications of new requirements.
Reading Recommendations
Canadian airports warn of ‘chaos’ amid new COVID-19 testing rules
Reuters
Canada’s plan to require novel coronavirus tests for all but U.S. arrivals on international flights risks causing “chaos” and long lines if all passengers are expected to get tested at airports, industry groups said.
The move, announced Tuesday, comes as the travel season kicks into gear and could stretch airport resources as well as testing holiday-makers’ patience, they said.
Daniel Gooch, president of the Canadian Airports Council, said airports cannot test all overseas arrivals on-site without long wait times.
Trudeau to limit new spending in fiscal update coming Dec. 14, source says
Financial Post/Reuters
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government will outline limited new spending in a fiscal update expected later this month, a source said on Thursday, as inflation soars and some business groups and opposition politicians call for restraint.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Thursday told lawmakers the so-called fall fiscal update would be released on Dec 14. The update will be “limited in scope,” a source familiar with the drafting of the document told Reuters.
Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker
Niagara COVID vaccination tracker
Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.
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