TORONTO -- The CN Tower will be closed starting Saturday amid the rise in COVID-19 cases in Toronto.
In a statement, Canada Lands Company, which owns the landmark, said it will suspend operations “to do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and hopefully help flatten the curve.”
“The health and safety of our staff and guests is our priority,” the statement reads.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and we look forward to welcoming guests back to the tower as soon as public health authorities and Canada Lands Company determine that it is safe to do so.”
The landmark reopened to the public in July after being closed due to the pandemic.
The closure comes following the city’s medical officer of health call for tighter restrictions in the wake of COVID-19 resurgence.
In an open letter to Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa asked the province to ban indoor dining for a month and suspend group fitness classes, indoor group recreation and team sports.
The doctor is also asking residents to leave their homes for essential trips only.
She said “quick action is needed now” to prevent the further spread of the virus in Toronto.
The city reported 311 new cases on Friday, bringing the total to 20,180. Toronto’s seven-day average of new infections stands at 236, a six-fold increase from 40 cases on Sept. 1.
“The reason I am asking the province to undertake additional public health measures is to drive overall case counts down,” de Villa said during the city’s COVID-19 briefing.
“When this happens, we will return to the previous case and contact management strategies.”
