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Ontario gives frontline workers $4 per hour pay increase Toronto hit with legal action over COVID-19 outbreak in shelters

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4:15 pm Toronto responds to legal action over handling of COVID-19 in the shelter system

The City Of Toronto issued a statement in response to legal action over COVID-19 in the shelter system.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) and a coalition of advocacy groups filed an application in Ontario Superior Court on Friday, claiming Toronto is violating the charter rights of homeless people with the state of shelters and 24-hour respite centres.

The City responded with a statement outlining its efforts to accommodate social distancing at shelters and find solutions to care for the most vulnerable through partner organizations.

“Toronto has the largest shelter system in Canada,” the statement reads. “Of the 75 shelter sites located in Toronto, 11 are operated directly by the City. The remaining 64 programs are operated by community non-profit agencies.”

The city also states that it has opened 11 new facilities, secured 1,200 hotel rooms identified 250 permanent housing units to move people out of shelters provided $1.2 million to community partners serving the homeless so that they can acquire personal protective equipment and opened a 200-bed recovery facility for people who are COVID-19 positive and experiencing homelessness. Approximately 770 people have been moved into hotel rooms and 492 have been accommodated at the community spaces.

“Implementing a comprehensive response as quickly as possible for Toronto’s most vulnerable has been a City priority,” says the statement. “The City will respond to this notice of application through appropriate court channels.”


2:47 pm Toronto records lowest number of new COVID-19 cases in almost two months

Toronto added only two new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Saturday, which makes for the lowest single day hike since February 29, when only one case was recorded. Altogether, there are 4628 cases, with 336 recovered and 305 cases are currently hospitalized. Unfortunately, the city’s death toll climbed up by 15 to 253 since Friday.

The number of new COVID-19 cases in the city has seen a gradual decline since an April 13 peak that added 300 confirmed COVID-19 carriers. Just yesterday, the city added 25 cases. The new numbers are the latest sign that the city’s strict social distancing measures are effectively flattening the curve. 


1:27 pm Doug Ford blasts anti-lockdown protestors: “They’re a bunch of yahoos”

A group of protestors gathered in front of Queen’s Park today to demand an end to the lockdown. Asked about the protest during his daily news conference, premier Doug Ford blasted the group as “reckless” and “a bunch of yahoos.”

“It’s absolutely irresponsible to do what their doing,” he said. “And personally I think it’s selfish.”

“They’re putting themselves in jeopardy and putting workers in jeopardy,” he added. “We’re better than this… Hey, I understand that people want to get out there. But we have to be responsible.”


1:08 pm Ontario gives frontline workers $4 per hour pay increase

As of April 24, the province is giving frontline workers a $4 per hour pay increase that will last the next 16 weeks.

Premier Doug Ford said on Saturday that nurses, personal support workers, long-term care staff, home-care workers, hospital staff, homeless and women’s shelter staff, those looking after adults with disabilities, correctional officers and cooks and leaners at these facility will be eligible for the temporary pandemic pay.

Those who work over 100 hours per month will receive a $250 bonus per month for up to $1,000 over next 16 weeks – or $3,560 per month for people working 40 hours per week – he added.

The pay increase will impact 350,000 workers, Ford said. He also said the federal government was involved in the pay increase.

The list of eligible workplaces can be found here.


11:25 am Trudeau working on a joint reopening statement with provinces

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the premiers are working on a joint statement outlining what needs to be done to lift lockdown measures.

He said the federal government and the provinces are working with Canada’s top doctor Theresa Tam on principles and guidelines for all Canadians while being mindful of the unique situations and timing in each jurisdiction.

Saskatchewan will reopen on May 4 and New Brunswick has started easing restrictions this weekend. Ontario will announce its reopening plan next week.

“We need a coordinated approach nationally to avoid any confusion amongst Canadians,” he said. “If we don’t get the next phase right we risk losing all the progress we’ve made thus far.”

Asked about the dire situation in long-term care homes, Trudeau said health transfers to the provinces for that sector are on the table for discussion but, he said, “I have no intention of seeing the federal government take over or get involved in provincial areas of jurisdiction.”

Trudeau also announced Canada will provide $62.5 million to help fish and seafood processors through this crisis.


10:41 am Ontario has 476 new cases of COVID-19

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario 13,995, an increase of 476 or 3.5 per cent – the lowest increase of the week. 

The number of resolved cases is 7,509 and 811 people have died, an increase of 48 since the previous report. Of those deaths, 470 deaths were reported among residents/patients in long-term care homes, an increase of seven since the previous day.

In all, there are 162 outbreaks in long-term care homes, an increase of 19 since the previous report.

There are 925 patients in hospital, with 245 in intensive care and 195 in intensive care on ventilators.

There were 10,578 tests conducted since the previous report and 8,171 cases are under investigation. The total number of tests carried out in Ontario is 217,618.


10:16 am Provincial parks to remain closed until May 31

The province has extended the closure of parks to May 31 to stop the spread of COVID-19.

“In order to keep Ontarians safe during this COVID-19 outbreak, our government is extending the closure of Ontario’s provincial parks and conservation reserves to May 31, 2020,” the government said in a statement on Saturday. “This includes car camping, backcountry camping, roofed accommodations, day use opportunities, access points and all public buildings.


10 am Advocacy groups take legal action against city over state of Toronto shelters

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) a coalition of advocacy groups are taking Toronto to court over the state of the shelter system during the coronavirus pandemic.

The groups have initiated legal proceedings, arguing the state of city shelter standards and 24-hour respite centres violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The legal application, which was filed in Ontario Superior Court on Friday, claims the city is not adhering the two-metre physical distancing between beds and failed to develop and implement a plan in time to help help service provider mitigate transmission of COVID-19 in shelters.

Cases of COVID-19 in the shelter system have spiked in recent days to 135 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in 12 shelters, according to the latest data from the city. On April  13, there were 25 confirmed cases in the shelter system.

“The City’s conduct has endangered not only homeless people, but also shelter staff, healthcare workers, their families, and the broader community,” the CCLA said in a statement, which adds that the state of shelters “has forced countless others to set up tents and encampments outdoors, rather than risk going into spaces where there are already many people who have contracted the virus.

“This is particularly disturbing at a time when everyone is being told to ‘stay home,’ when hotels are going bankrupt, and rooms and student residences are sitting empty,” the statement reads. “The lack of appropriate accommodation six weeks into this crisis and the city’s conduct violate individuals’ Charter rights including the right to life, security of the person, and equality.”

The coalition of groups participating in the application includes Sanctuary Ministries of Toronto, Aboriginal Legal Services, Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario, Black Legal Action Centre, and HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario.

As of April 14, Toronto Board of Health chair Joe Cressy said the city had relocated over 1,000 people and expected to have another 1,000 moved by April 30.

When asked for comment, a rep for Toronto said, “The City received a Notice of Application yesterday. There is no court date and the applicants have not yet served their supporting materials on the City.”


9 am Canada has over 43,000 cases of COVID-19

There are 43,888 cases of COVID-19 in Canada and 2,302 people have died.

The outbreak is a serious public health threat though most people who contract the virus have not been hospitalized. 

Symptoms include cough, fever, difficulty breathing and pneumonia in both lungs and may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure. People age 65 and over and people with compromised immune systems and/or underlying medical conditions have a higher risk of contracting a severe case.

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