Police to provide update amid concerns Queen’s Park protest could disrupt hospitals

Toronto police are expected to provide an update on Friday as they prepare for a planned protest this weekend against COVID-19 measures and vaccine mandates at Queen’s Park.

Online flyers for the “Convoy for Freedom Toronto” rally call for truckers and supporters to meet at various locations in Southern Ontario before driving to Queen’s Park at noon on Saturday, raising concerns about interference with the slew of nearby hospitals on University Avenue.

Police have said they plan to shut down some roads to ensure unimpeded access for health care workers and patients.

No parking signs were being posted along hospital row ahead of the expected rally on Saturday.

“Wear street clothes”: Police to hospital staff

Mt. Sinai Hospital says Toronto police are advising their staff to wear street clothes instead of their hospital garb to avoid being identified when the convoy of truckers and their supporters head to Toronto for the planned protest.

“We are working closely with Toronto Police Services, and our peer hospitals to ensure everyone’s safety,” Mt. Sinai said in a release Thursday night. “Toronto Police Services is advising that street clothes should be worn versus identifiable hospital apparel …”

Mt. Sinai says scheduled diagnostic imaging and surgeries are proceeding this weekend, but it’s warning patients to expect delays when travelling to the hospital.

“We recommended our ambulatory clinics review their scheduled activity and possibly re-schedule non urgent care or provide the option of virtual visits to patients,” it added.

University Hospital Network (UHN) spokesperson Gillian Howard said its hospitals, which include Toronto General, Toronto Western and Princess Margaret, are working with police “to ensure access to patients and staff who must be on the hospital sites over the weekend.”

“Our staff have also been made aware so that they can ensure they have sufficient time to get to work if they are scheduled to work,” Howard told CityNews.

UHN said it is contacting patients with appointments Saturday to give them a heads up about the protest in the area, but said appointments are not being cancelled at this point.

“We have appointments tomorrow and through the weekend and will be going ahead. We are contacting patients scheduled for Saturday to let them know about the planned protest as we anticipate that traffic will be heavy in the area.”

Ontario Nurses Association asks for help

The Ontario Nurses Association released a statement Thursday night, calling on “elected leaders and public safety officials to ensure that nurses, health-care professionals, patients and their loved ones have safe access to all hospitals on University Avenue and across Toronto this weekend, and every day.”

Ontario Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said that while it’s up to local police forces to “keep their communities safe” the province is “ready to provide additional support if necessary.”

“In particular, I want to reiterate that blocking access to emergency medical services, including paramedic services and hospitals, is completely unacceptable,” she said.

Toronto Mayor John Tory addressed fears of a possible disruption in healthcare service, saying people should be allowed to come and go from their workplace “freely and safely.”

“Any protest in the area of Queen’s Park absolutely cannot block off access to the hospitals around the legislature — people should not be blocked from receiving emergency care or any medical care and hospital workers, who have been frontline heroes throughout the pandemic, should be able to freely and safely come and go from their workplace,” Tory said.

Tory met with Toronto police Chief James Ramer, City Manager Chris Murray, and other senior staff earlier on Thursday morning to discuss the rally that’s apparently in the works.

While Tory stressed he “cannot direct police enforcement,” he said he “made it clear to Chief Ramer that we must do everything we can to avoid the type of situation currently faced by Ottawa residents and businesses.”

Ottawa has been inundated with truckers and their supporters since last Saturday when up to 15,000 people descended on the nation’s capital to protest vaccine mandates and other perceived erosions of personal freedoms.

The majority have since left, but several hundred trucks remain.

On Wednesday, Ottawa Police Deputy Inspector Trish Ferguson called the stragglers a “highly determined and highly volatile group of unlawful individuals.”

Ottawa officials painted a grim picture of the fallout from the protests, saying they’ve cost the city millions of dollars to police, impacted local businesses, and turned parts of the city into a “living hell” for fed-up residents.

RELATED: ‘Living hell’: Officials paint grim picture of fallout from lingering Ottawa protests

Tory doesn’t want to see the same thing in Toronto, especially just as many COVID-impacted businesses have reopened following the province’s recent easing of restrictions.

“This weekend marks the first weekend that many businesses are able to be open, including restaurants and indoor dining,” Tory said. “The notion that any protest would keep these businesses — hit hard by the pandemic — from being open or drive customers away is unacceptable.”

Tory said Toronto police will provide an update on the planned protest on Friday.

“I want to be absolutely clear that I support Toronto Police taking necessary action to prepare for this protest with a focus on doing everything they can to protect the safety of Toronto residents and businesses and to minimize any disruptions to Toronto residents and businesses as much as possible,” Tory said.

Earlier this week, security staff at Queen’s Park were seen placing concrete barriers at the entrances and exits of the front parking lot in a bid to prevent vehicles from entering.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) oversees security at the legislature and told CityNews it is aware of a potential rally but couldn’t disclose security plans.