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.
Ontario will move to Step Two of Roadmap to Reopen on June 30
The Ontario government has announced that it will move the province into Step Two of its Roadmap to Reopen at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, June 30, 2021.
In order to enter Step Two of the Roadmap, Ontario needed to have vaccinated 70 per cent of adults with one dose and 20 per cent with two doses for at least two weeks, ensuring a strong level of protection against COVID-19. As of June 23, 2021, over 76 per cent of the population in Ontario ages 18 and over have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and over 29 per cent have received their second dose.
The full Roadmap to Reopen can be viewed here.
Click here on a guide to business restrictions in Step Two.
Household-Only Dining Restriction Now Lifted in Niagara
With local COVID-19 case numbers and reproductive rate meeting designated thresholds, the restriction on dining with household members only as part of section 22 orders in Niagara, is being lifted for parties dining outdoors as of today, Thursday, June 24, 2021. All other additional restrictions for food and drink premises remain in effect, as do additional restrictions for shopping malls and retail stores.
Ontario Chambers call for more business support as province reopens
Rocco Rossi, President & CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, has released a statement on behalf of Ontario’s Chambers of Commerce.
“The facts are clear about Ontario’s reopening plan: we have achieved benchmarks for Step Three, yet we are taking a modest earlier move into Step 2. With nearly one-third of Ontarians fully vaccinated and our positivity rate dropping to the lowest since early Fall, we urge government to closely monitor the indicators for reopening so we can confidently move to the next stage of a safe reopening of our economy sooner than anticipated. Continued supports, such as an additional round of the Ontario Small Business Support Grant, will be critical to help keep businesses afloat.”
Reading Recommendations
World’s central banks launch new campaign against cryptocurrencies
CBC News
Recent moves by China to crack down on cryptocurrencies have been devastating to those who jumped on the bitcoin bandwagon this spring after a new buying frenzy had sent the digital units soaring to record highs.
And a report out Wednesday from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), a Switzerland-based financial institution often described as “the central bankers’ central bank,” may mean the worries of digital coin holders are not yet over.
Owned by the Bank of Canada, the Federal Reserve and the rest, the internationally respected financial institution hinted it may launch a renewed challenge, declaring that crypto works against the public good.
What to know about relaxed travel measures for fully vaccinated Canadians
BNN Bloomberg
Relaxed travel rules for fully vaccinated Canadians may make visiting the United States easier for some, but uncertainly around travelling with unvaccinated children is already causing frustration for others, travel experts say.
The federal government still advises against non-essential travel — either by land or by air — to U.S. and international destinations, and the land border closure was recently extended to July 21. By and large, the public has complied.
However, tales abound of questionable cross-border jaunts by some, including a few politicians, who continued to fly throughout the pandemic.
Niagara COVID Stats Tracker (June 19)
| December 18 | December 25 | January 1 | January 8 | January 15 | January 22 | January 29 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive number | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| New cases per 100,000 | 101.2 | 267.3 | 469.8 | 575.8 | 507.1 | 295.5 | 250.6 |
| New cases per day (not including outbreaks) | 60.7 | 178.7 | 311.7 | 376.9 | 325.4 | 182.7 | 145.7 |
| Percent of hospital beds occupied | 97% | 95.2% | 98.2% | 103.2% | 104.5% | 103.6% | 106% |
| Percent of intensive care beds occupied | 78.8% | 77.3% | 87.9% | 87.9% | 90.9% | 89.4% | 93.9% |
| Percentage of positive tests | 6.1% | 15.6% | 28.1% | 28.6% | 26.6% | 21.2% | 16.2% |
These data show the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Niagara. The Province of Ontario is now using a provincewide approach to reopening, and these data no longer have any influence on Niagara’s restrictions.
Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health.
Guide
Reproductive number: the average number of new cases each case causes. If each person infects one other person, the rate is 1; if each person infects two people, the rate is 2. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 1. Niagara Public Health has indicated that this number should be consistently below 1 for Section 22 orders to be lifted.
New cases per 100,000: the total number of new cases per week identified per 100,000 population. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 10. Niagara Public Health has indicated that this number should be consistently below 15 for Section 22 orders to be lifted.
New cases per day: the total number of new cases identified per day over seven days using a rolling average. This number does not include identified outbreaks.
Percent of hospital beds occupied: the total percentage of the Niagara Health System’s hospital beds currently in use. The average occupancy rate of both acute care beds and total hospital beds in Ontario was 96 per cent in 2018-19. It should be noted that this rate was the highest (worst) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Percent of intensive care beds occupied: the total percentage of the Niagara Health System’s intensive care hospital beds currently in use. The average occupancy rate of both acute care beds and total hospital beds in Ontario was 96 per cent in 2018-19. It should be noted that this rate was the highest (worst) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Percentage of positive tests: the percentage of COVID-19 tests that were positive. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 0.5%.
Niagara COVID vaccination tracker (June 23)
Niagara’s most up-to-date vaccination numbers are presented below, along with comparison data from Ontario, Canada, and G7 countries.
Total doses administered in Niagara: 409,749
Total doses administered in Niagara since yesterday: 6,406
Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen will begin when Ontario has vaccinated 70% of adults with one dose, 20% of adults with two doses, has positive public health indicators, and has been in Step One for at least 21 days.
| Percentage of population with one dose | Percentage of population fully vaccinated | |
|---|---|---|
| Niagara | 82.7% | 78.2% |
| Ontario | 84.6% | 79.1% |
| Canada | 84.7% | 78.6% |
| United States | 75% | 64% |
| United Kingdom | 78% | 72% |
| Germany | 76% | 74% |
| France | 80% | 77% |
| Italy | 83% | 76% |
| Japan | 80% | 79% |
| World | 63% | 53% |
Data are drawn from Niagara Region, the Government of Ontario, and Oxford University’s Our World in Data project.
