Ford says there isn’t enough evidence to shut down bars, restaurants
Posted October 5, 2020 1:57 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Toronto’s medical officer of health, Doctor Eileen de Villa, wants the province to ban indoor dining in the city, but Premier Doug Ford isn’t ready to go that route yet.
Speaking at Monday’s briefing, Ford says there isn’t enough medical evidence to justify a decision of that magnitude.
“These are people that have been their lives in these small restaurants,” Ford said.
“They put everything they’ve had. I have to make sure 100 per cent, I have proven before, we will do it in a heartbeat, but I have to see the evidence before I take someone’s livelihood away from them and shut their lives down. That’s a huge decision.”
The Premier says the vast majority of restaurants are following safety protocols.
On September 25, The Ford government announced tougher measures for bars and restaurants, ordering all food and drink establishments to stop selling alcohol by 11 p.m. each night and to close by midnight and remain closed until 5:00 a.m. (except for takeout or delivery).
De Villa and Mayor John Tory are both pushing for indoor dining to be put on hold until the City gets its COVID-19 case count under control.
In a letter sent to the Provincial Chief Medical Officer of Health last week, de Villa said Toronto has seen a six-fold increase in their seven-day moving average, from 40 on September 1, to 236 on September 29.
While Ontario has since restricted gyms to 50 people per building and only 10 people per class, de Villa says that doesn’t go far enough and recommends indoor group classes in gyms, and indoor activities for recreation and sports teams be discontinued as well.
Toronto reported 289 new, COVID-19 infections on Monday – up from 196 cases on Sunday.
