Ontario extends coronavirus emergency orders until May 6

By news staff

The Ford government has extended all emergency orders in Ontario — put in place under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act — until May 6 to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The declaration, which was first introduced on March 17, extends the closure of outdoor amenities in parks and recreational areas, non-essential workplaces, public places, bars and restaurants, and restrictions on social gatherings.

It also limits staff from working in more than one retirement home or long-term care home.

In addition, the government has introduced a new new measure to allow mental health and addiction agencies to redeploy staff within different locations or between programs, and employ extra part-time staff, temporary staff or contractors.

Last week, the province passed a bill to extend the Ontario’s state of emergency until May 12.

Earlier this week, Premier Doug Ford said his government’s framework for how and when to reduce and remove various restrictions should be released in the next few days. He would not give specifics, except to say that one of the first areas may be outdoor activities.

On Wednesday, Ford said he would be asking the federal government to deploy military personnel to five long-term care homes hit by outbreaks.

Ford said he’ll also be formally requesting extra resources from the Public Health Agency to help provide operational and logistical assistance at the homes.

 

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