Province Announces Reopening Plan Details: Outdoor Activites Expand Starting May 22

COVID-19
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This afternoon the Premier of Ontario provided more details about the plan to reopen Ontario.Beginning this Saturday, May 22nd, several outdoor activities and amenities will reopen where people can safely enjoy much-needed physical activity, including golf, driving ranges, tennis, soccer and other sports fields, basketball courts, and skate parks with up to five people at a time.This is welcome news and something my fellow Mayors from all across Ontario have been advocating for throughout this present lockdown. We know healthcare and science experts have repeatedly stated that the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in these activities is low, and the mental and physical benefits are high.With warmer weather upon us, I know Burlington residents will be thrilled with this announcement today. I encourage our amazing community to enjoy these activities safely, as intended, with thoughtfulness and care so that we do not risk undoing the great progress we have made in the past month in both reducing new cases and steadily increasing vaccinations. Please avoid crowding over 5 people at a time, and be patient to wait your turn when other groups are using amenities. When using outdoor amenities, please also be courteous and thoughtful to those who are waiting so everyone can have a turn.Additional details of the three-step reopening plan were also shared by the Premier and will follow a "sector by sector" approach rather than the previous approach that varied permissions based on geography/region. This means that when a service or business opens in one city, they will open in all cities. That will significantly reduce the likelihood people will travel from one region to another to access those services and that will have a positive impact on minimizing the mobility of COVID-19 from one place to another. A similar approach is already in place in Quebec.The province will remain in each step for at least 21 days to monitor the impact each step has on case numbers.What we know so far:

  • Step One will begin two weeks after 60% of adults have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the vaccine. Non-essential retail stores will be allowed to reopen at 15% capacity, outdoor gatherings will permit up to 10 people, and outdoor dining will resume with up to 4 people per table.
  • Step Two will begin once 70% of adults have had one vaccine dose and 20% have had both (two) doses and include outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people, outdoor sports and leagues, and personal care services.
  • Step Three will begin once 70-80% of adults have had one dose and 25% have had two doses, and include access to indoor settings like indoor dining, sports, museums and libraries.
  • Schools will remain closed for in-person learning for now but that decision is continuing to be evaluated.

Visit the Ontario.ca/newsroom website for more details from the Province, and reach out to one of our local MPPs if you have additional questions in the days and weeks ahead.

A FEW REMINDERS:To report an incident of non-compliance with provincial emergency orders, please contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 Hotline: 905-825-4722.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 consolidated page for information and updates on the work of the provincial Ministers’ COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force is available at bit.ly/COVIDVaccineUpdates.Halton Region has also created a dedicated COVID-19 Vaccine webpage at halton.ca/covidvaccines for up to date information on the status of our COVID19 vaccination program.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.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.—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 consolidated page for information and updates on the work of the provincial Ministers’ COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force is available at bit.ly/COVIDVaccineUpdates.Halton Region has also created a dedicated COVID-19 Vaccine webpage at halton.ca/covidvaccines for up to date information on the status of our COVID19 vaccination program.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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A Message to the Community from Joseph Brant Hospital President & CEO Eric Vandewall — May 20, 2021