Why Mississauga is concerned about Ontario's plan to lift all COVID-19 restrictions
Mississauga’s mayor says she has serious concerns about the province’s projected timeline for lifting all remaining COVID-19 restrictions as the city deals with growing strain on its hospital system.
Speaking at the City of Mississauga’s weekly COVID-19 briefing on Thursday, Mayor Bonnie Crombie said Trillium Health Partners currently has 22 COVID-19 inpatients, the most virus-related hospitalizations of any other hospital network in Ontario.
“While our case counts have steadily decreased, we have seen some concerning trends in Mississauga with elevated COVID-19 transmission in some areas. Peel Public Health is working hard to understand exactly why this is happening,” she said.
“What we do know is that there are some neighbourhoods in Mississauga with a lower vaccine uptake than the rest of the city, leading to a large number of susceptible residents.”
Crombie said those neighbourhoods include Burnhamthorpe, Applewood, Dixie, Cooksville, and Mississauga Valley.
“That’s translated to unnecessary pressure on our hospital system,” she added.
She said while she remains optimistic that the situation will improve, she said she is concerned the Ford government will move too quickly to lift remaining public health measures.
The province has set a target date of Jan. 17, 2022 to begin lifting its proof-of-vaccination requirements at certain establishments, including restaurants, bars, sports and recreational facilities, and casinos.
By March 28, the province would like to remove all remaining COVID-19 restrictions, including masking in indoor settings.
“I appreciate the ambition but these dates give me quite a bit of trepidation,” Crombie said Thursday.
“The last thing anyone wants to see are regulations lifted too quickly and then a sudden spike in cases. We are seeing other jurisdictions like the UK dealing with a surge in cases despite having a large percentage of their population fully vaccinated.”
The province has said they will only proceed with lifting these measures “in the absence of concerning trends.”
“We are now in a position where we can see the proposed plan for lifting the remaining public health and workplace safety measures in Ontario,” Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of Health, said in a statement released last week.
“The months ahead will require continued vigilance, as we don’t want to cause any more unnecessary disruption to people’s everyday lives. We must continue to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in our communities by following the public health measures in place and by vaccinating those who have not yet received their shots.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
Crypt near Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner could fetch US$400,000 at auction
A one-space mausoleum crypt in the vicinity of Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner will go on auction Saturday, when it is expected to reach between US$200,000 and $400,000.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Premiers not being truthful about carbon tax, Trudeau says while sparks fly in Ottawa
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Conservative premiers across the country are 'not telling the truth' when it comes to the carbon tax. Trudeau's comments came as fresh sparks were flying in Ottawa at a recalled House of Commons committee.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.