Ontario extends coronavirus emergency orders until May 19

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 after the Victoria Day long weekend as the province continues to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

On Wednesday, the province declared the orders would be in place until May 19.

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.

As well, the province is extending emergency electrical rate relief until the end of May.

The rate relief applies to families, farms and small businesses.

Customers who pay time-of-use electricity rates will continue to be billed at the lowest price, known as the off-peak price, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“During this extraordinary period, many people are struggling to pay the bills as they do the right thing by staying at home, as well as our farmers and those whose businesses have closed or suffered reduced customer traffic,” Premier Doug Ford said in a statement Wednesday.

“Although we are making progress in our fight against this COVID-19 outbreak, we are not out of the woods yet. The extension of this electricity rate relief will leave more money in people’s pockets until businesses can start to reopen and people can get back to work.”

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