Here are today’s new developments:
Canada announces funding for Indigenous communities to deal with the impact of COVID-19 and brace for a potential second wave.
Canada will look at possible family reunification for families separated by Canada-U.S. border closures.
Ontario says it is expanding its testing to include hot spots, certain workplaces and groups in congregate living setting. Ford refused set a new testing goal, and has failed for weeks to meet his own lowered targets. Firm timelines and transparent benchmarks are needed in order to open Ontario businesses safely. I have spent weeks urging the Ford government to take ownership for its low testing numbers and expand its strategy beyond assessment centres, including with mobile testing that goes directly to people.
Ford changed his tune on the prospect of Ontario using a regional approach to ease restrictions on the economy, as data shows the Greater Toronto Area accounts for 65.8 per cent of the province’s COVID-19 cases – Horwath has called on Ford to immediately deploy additional resources to hot spots, including testing snd contact tracing resources, PPE and financial supports.
Solutions we’re pushing for:
Horwath pressed the Ford government to give Ontarians a clearer timeline regarding the province’s expanded testing strategy, to include firm timelines and benchmarks that must be hit before more businesses are allowed to reopen. Amid weeks of abysmal testing numbers, I have urged the Ford government to keep workers and communities safe by setting and keeping to clear timelines.
Yesterday, Andrea Horwath helped out with deliveries at the Ahmadiyya Youth Association’s “Neighborhood Helper” campaign.
Tomorrow morning, Horwath will hold a virtual roundtable on Facebook Live with education workers and parents, to discuss the challenges education workers, parents, students and teachers are facing during COVID-19.