Province Adds Halton to List of Regions Entering Stage 2 Starting Friday

COVID-19
Written By

Today (Monday, June 15), Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that Halton Region will be moving into Stage 2 of the re-opening of the Province, along with nearby regions like Hamilton and Niagara. Only Toronto, Peel Region, and Windsor Essex remain in Stage 1. This is good news for our city and our business owners who have been both diligent and patient in helping us get to this important step forward.As of this week, the Region of Halton continues to demonstrate low numbers of COVID-19 cases as well as no known institutional outbreaks, making up a small fraction of the total cases in Ontario. Our hospitals have sustained adequate capacity for those needing both testing and treatment, and at least 90 per cent of new contacts are being reached by Halton public health officials within one day. These are all measures that the Province has indicated are requirements to move into phase 2.I support a regional approach to the COVID-19 recovery process so that those regions who have demonstrated they have met the health criteria to reopen are able to do so, while those regions that still need extra time can continue to keep their communities safe.Our consistently low numbers in Burlington throughout the continued functioning of our grocery stores, pharmacies, transit and many other essential workplaces are the result of the commitment all our residents and businesses have to the health and well-being of themselves, their families, their employees, and our community at large. The implementation of additional health and safety measures like masks, hand sanitizer and frequent cleaning on top of adherence to physical distancing guidelines has been amazing. People have limited themselves to gatherings of 5 people or less outside of their own households for many months, and as of last week were able to expand to 10 and add an additional social bubble to their activities along with the rest of the province. I am confident the commitment seen here in Burlington and throughout  Halton will continue and everyone will show consistently good judgement and common sense as additional businesses and facilities open up.While we understand that there are concerns about residents of neighboring areas migrating to the Halton region to enjoy services that are still closed in their own neighborhoods, we must consider that a migration between regions has already been happening on a regular basis for reasons such as employment and other needs.Our valued business community has been hit hard by this pandemic and while many are very eager to open up again, they will only be able to do so when they can adhere to the strict safety guidelines set out by the provincial government and health authorities. We trust that our business community will prioritize the safety of their staff and customers to continue the fight against COVID-19 by following these guidelines at all times.We must all work together though these challenging times to be responsible in our behaviours, respectful of the guidelines, and compassionate with one another. Lets continue to keep ourselves and our community members safe as we take this next step together that will help improve our mental health and well-being, our quality of life and our economy.—PLEASE NOTE: To stay updated on what the City of Burlington is doing regarding COVID-19, please visit the dedicated pages burlington.ca/coronavirus (and subscribe) and bit.ly/mayormeedwardCOVID19updates, and our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page — bit.ly/COVID19BurlingtonFAQ that are updated as new information becomes available.A Burlington COVID-19 Task Force has been created to help support our community through this unprecedented emergency — updates will be provided at burlington.ca/COVID19taskforce.To report an incident of non-compliance with provincial emergency orders, please contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 Hotline: 905-825-4722.We’ve also created a dedicated page to feature the local organizations and businesses that have inspired us during the COVID-19 pandemic by taking action to support our community in new and creative ways — head to bit.ly/covidwallofinspiration.HELPFUL RESOURCES & RELATED LINKS:

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