COVID-19: The Latest
- The federal government announced new travel restrictions today, including the suspension of flights to the Carribbean and Mexico, and new measures in the coming weeks to require travellers to be tested on arrival, and quarantine at their own expense.
- The Ontario government said Thursday it had been misinterpreting data on the number of people who have received both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccination. Officials inadvertently posted dose information, rather than the total vaccination data. As a result, the number of people who have been fully vaccinated is half of what was listed previously. The government said they are updating the total vaccinations completed category to reflect the total number of people who have been fully vaccinated and not the number of doses. The total vaccinations completed (both doses) as of Thursday is 55,286.
- With shipments of the Pfizer vaccine to Canada delayed, there is news that Moderna may now cut deliveries to Canada. The Prime Minister again said that delays to this vaccine will not affect the overall number of vaccines Canada will get by the end of March.
- More than 300 doctors and advocates have signed a letter calling on the Ford government to act now to address deadly COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care homes across the province. The letter, organized by Doctors for Justice in LTC, states that the group has “grave concerns” for the well-being of Ontarians in LTC homes and that the situation constitutes a humanitarian crisis.
- Ontario is sitting on $6.4 billion in unspent emergency COVID-19 funding as the pandemic rages, according to a new economic analysis, which shows that Ottawa is paying for the bulk of the relief effort. Ontario is one of six provinces that have left billions on the table, moneys earmarked and urgently needed for health care, long-term care, housing and essential workers, states the study, released Tuesday by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
Read the Opposition response here, making clear that every day Ford sits on unspent COVID-19 funds, there will be more suffering and despair in our province that could have been prevented.
- New modelling suggests that the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units could steadily decrease over the next month amid lower case counts and may even drop down below 150, a critical line at which point elective care can resume at most hospitals. The latest modelling provides three different scenarios on what the next month might look like in Ontario while also acknowledging that the presence of new variants remains a “significant threat to our control of the pandemic”.
- Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health is recommending the extension of City of Toronto COVID-19 temporary bylaws until City Council’s June meeting. The extension recommendation is for bylaws that were originally set to expire at the end of the February 2 and 3, 2021 City Council meeting and include: The Physical Distancing in Public Spaces bylaws (322-2020 and 323-2020); The Mandatory Mask bylaws (541-2020 as amended by 664-2020); and COVID-19 amendments to Chapter 354, Apartment Buildings and the COVID-19 amendments to Chapter 545, Licensing. The report to City Council will be considered at next week’s meeting.
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Remembering the victims of the January 29 Quebec City mosque shooting
Today marks the fourth anniversary of the attack on the Islamic Cultural Centre in Quebec City, where six men were murdered and many more injured in an act of terrorist violence. My colleague, the MPP for Beaches-East York, has tabled a bill to recognize this day as a Day of Remembrance & Action on Islamophobia in Ontario, and today I’m pleased to see the federal government has indicated it will do the same, designating January 29 as the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia.
You can view my statement here (Facebook)
Here in Davenport, we responded to these attacks, and continued threats to our own local mosque, with a show of solidarity and love for the Muslim community. But the threat continues. Last year, volunteer caretaker Mohamed-Aslim Zafis was murdered at his Toronto mosque by a man with apparent links to a Neo-Nazi group.
Today over 300 far-right and Islamophobic groups are active in Canada and it will take organized political action to fight back against their hate. The Ontario NDP is proposing a provincial action plan to dismantle white supremacist and Neo-Nazi groups in Canada that threaten Black, Indigenous, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and other faith and racialized communities.
Learn more and add your name here
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Mental Health Awareness Week
An estimated 12,000 children in Ontario were waiting up to 18 months for mental health care before the pandemic, and the need has never been greater.
The Ontario NDP is calling for an end to the cuts and underfunding that have forced too many kids to languish on waitlists instead of getting the help they need, and we've tabled a bill that would cap kids wait times at 30 days.
As we mark Mental Health Awareness Week, I want to thank our professional support staff, healthcare workers, mental health professionals, teachers, education workers, principals & parents for your heroic efforts to help kids get through a year of stress, loss and change. We stand with you to demand better for our kids.
Parents, caregivers and children can find resources and supports through Children's Mental Health Ontario and anyone in need can call or text 211 to be connected to mental health or other social services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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Celebrating Tamil Heritage Month with the residents of Davenport’s Tamil Coop
On Tuesday I celebrated Tamil Heritage Month and a belated Thai Pongal with members of Davenport’s Tamil Co-op. I am so thankful to all those who came, and especially to Srikanthan Nadarajah, who helped facilitate the meeting. We heard lovely speeches from Mani Pathmarajah, Santha Chandrabose, Kripa Sekhar, and others about the importance of preserving Tamil culture here in Canada, and the crucial role of co-ops like this one in providing affordable housing to new immigrants.
There was also a surprise performance from the talented singer (and Queen's Park Community Engagement Officer!) Sarika Navanathan.
I’m looking forward to safely celebrating Thai Pongal with members of the Co-op in person again next year!
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Education Roundtable: A Safe Return to Schools
Last night, MPP Jessica Bell and I hosted a virtual education roundtable to hear constituent concerns and ideas about a safe return to in-person learning. In attendance were parents, grandparents, teachers, ECEs and education advocates. We heard:
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The need for more consistency between boards and regional approaches
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Deep concern about remote learning -- especially the difficulties experienced by younger children and children with special needs -- including the strain on parents, educators
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Mental health impacts of school being closed
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Safety issues with repairs needed in schools
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Lack of transparency for parents about the criteria for reopening
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Advocacy for COVID testing in schools
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The need to fight for paid sick leave
These concerns are echoed in the many emails and phone calls I’m receiving from around the community and as MPP and Official Opposition Education Critic I am working hard to bring these forward to the government.
This week, four more public health units were given the go-ahead to reopen schools next week, but with little in the way of new protective measures, there is a risk they could close again. The government and Chief Medical Officer of Health have declined to share any specific criteria used to determine when schools are safe to open, so it remains to be seen what benchmarks Toronto will have to reach in order to reopen. At this point we only know schools here will remain closed until February 10.
In my role as Critic, I called on the government to deliver the vital safety measures we need to keep schools safely open: a 15-student cap on class sizes, better and safer ventilation in classrooms, a comprehensive asymptomatic testing strategy for students and paid sick day for all workers.
Today, the federal government re-announced funding it had promised the provinces in August for school reopening. The provincial government knew this money was allocated for Ontario, yet they have held back the funds instead of using them to bring in the safety measures above.
Read my statement here.
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Celebrating 100 years of the TPL St. Clair/Dufferin Branch!
This past Wednesday marked the 100th birthday of the Toronto Public Library St Clair/Dufferin Branch (originally the Earlscourt Branch). The library has been a cornerstone of the Corso Italia community for generations, at one point arguably containing the largest collection of Italian books and magazines in Canada! It’s well known for its amazing contributions to the community through its literacy program and beautiful murals, even gaining Toronto Heritage Property recognition. While it’s unfortunate that we can’t come together to celebrate this milestone and the extraordinary librarians who serve our community all year round, we hope to celebrate its 101st anniversary with you all in one years time!
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We’re here to help
This week, my team continued to help residents with issues ranging from ID renewal to interpretation of new COVID restrictions, navigating small business grants, vaccine questions and seniors’ supports. My staff are here to help navigatie and provincial issues you may have and we can now offer support in Spanish in addition to Portuguese. Please do not hesitate to reach us by phone at 416-535-3158 or email MStiles-CO@ndp.on.ca.
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Metrolinx Updates: Lansdowne GO Station & Overnight work on the Davenport Diamond
This week Toronto City Council executive debated a report that would see a rebranding the proposed Lansdowne GO station (near the current Value Village) as a "Smart Track" station. Previously to be paid for by the province, the construction cost would now be borne by the city. At this point, information is vague, but I have reached out to Deputy Mayor Bailao's office and Metrolinx and will be advocating for the community to have a voice in any transit developments at the site (however they are branded) and that the community benefits promised alongside the Davenport Diamond project are be maintained.
Metrolinx has also amended its notice from last week regarding construction of the Davenport Diamond, and has told us that overnight work taking place between the CP diamond and Wallace Avenue, within the rail corridor, will now begin tomorrow, on January 30. Find out more about what this will involve on the Metrolinx website.
I know this is a major disturbance to residents, especially those working from home. Please feel free to reach out to my office if you have any concerns about the project. My staff and I attend monthly meetings of the Construction Liaison Team and can share your concerns directly with the agency staff and the Ministry responsible. Reach out anytime at MStiles-QP@ndp.on.ca
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Stay Safe
Find links to information on the COVID-19 pandemic from all levels of government at maritstiles.ca/coronavirus.
Need help? Resources and supports are available at maritstiles.ca/help or in Portuguese at maritstiles.ca/ajuda
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