Group of Bloor Collegiate teachers raise concerns about poor ventilation, corridors packed with maskless students during lunchtime. A handful of Toronto secondary teachers spent the last two days in the parking lot outside their school, refusing to work over what they say are unsafe conditions, while students inside resumed in-person learning. The five teachers from Bloor…
Category: Community News
Doug Ford unveils schedule to ease COVID-19 restrictions starting Jan. 31
The end of this month will mark the beginning of a “cautious” three-stage reopening of Ontario’s economy in the wake of Omicron, says Premier Doug Ford. Closures of indoor restaurant dining, gyms, and cinemas are slated to end Jan. 31 with a move to 50 per cent customer capacity, Ford said Thursday as the province copes with…
When could the COVID-19 pandemic switch to endemic?
Based on how Omicron is spreading and affecting hospitalization rates, an infectious diseases specialist says the COVID-19 pandemic could begin pivoting to an endemic status in higher-income countries by early spring. “The Omicron surge will probably drive us fully into endemicity, where our death rates from COVID are low, where our hospitalizations are low. But…
Ontario schools see absences and classroom closures as students return amid Omicron
Ontario school boards struggled with staff absences and classroom closings as most of the province’s two million students returned to school buildings on Wednesday for the first time in a month. Students have been learning remotely for two weeks following the winter break after a surge in COVID-19 cases, fuelled by the fast-spreading Omicron variant….
As the pandemic drags on, governments can only do so much to protect us
Manitoba’s new Premier Heather Stefanson recently had some advice for citizens when it comes to living through the COVID-19 pandemic. “I think what’s important is that Manitobans look after themselves,” the Premier said. “I mean, this virus is running throughout our community and it’s up to Manitobans to look after themselves.” “The government can’t protect…
Toronto to launch $12M ‘safety and well-being’ plan to combat community violence, support mental health
Mayor John Tory is endorsing an initial $12-million for a community-safety plan released Wednesday On the heels of one of Toronto’s bloodiest years, the city’s 10-year community safety and well-being plan will launch with just over $12 million in funding if city council approves. The new “SafeTO” program is the latest, significant effort to funnel resources to…
Ontario plans to ease COVID-19 restrictions on Jan. 31
Ontario is planning to ease COVID-19 restrictions on indoor restaurant dining, gyms, movie theatres and more on Jan. 31, allowing them to open at 50 per cent customer capacity with masking protocols and proof of vaccination The countdown is on. Ontario is planning to ease COVID-19 restrictions on indoor restaurant dining, gyms, movie theatres and more on…
The pandemic’s impact on inflation and how Canada compares to other G7 countries
In December before the Surrey Board of Trade, Deputy Bank of Canada Governor Toni Gravelle spoke of how our economy has come a long way since the pandemic struck and essentially shut the economy down. We are “well down the road to a full recovery,” he said. “But we are still feeling the impacts of the…
Trudeau’s vaccine promise that wasn’t made to be kept
Justin Trudeau’s Liberals made an election promise to pass a law to protect employers from being sued when they fire unvaccinated workers, and they didn’t do it. Now those lawsuits are piling up. There’s no sign the Liberal government plans to fulfill the promise. Mr. Trudeau didn’t even put it in a mandate letter to…
Hong Kong to kill 2,000 small animals after hamsters blamed for COVID-19 outbreak in closed-off city
Authorities in Hong Kong will euthanize some 2,000 hamsters and other small animals after a minor COVID-19 outbreak was linked to a pet shop in the city. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan said preliminary testing had returned positive results for a number of animals at the Little Boss pet…