On March 30, 2020 Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that the Province had extended the March 17 Emergency Declaration under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. Emergency declarations under the Act are for two weeks with two-week extensions. Extended also are all associated orders including the closure of non-essential workplaces and limiting social gatherings greater than five people.
In announcing the declaration, the Premier announced new orders to close outdoor recreational amenities such as sports fields, playgrounds, basketball courts, picnic areas, park shelters, community and condo gardens, and others. Gatherings of more than 5 people continue to be prohibited.
The order builds on local municipal government action and makes it consistent across Ontario. Green spaces in parks, trails and ravines can remain open for pass-through access, but visitors must continue to practice social/physical distancing. Enforcement of these closure orders can be carried out at the discretion of municipal by-law officers. AMO’s COVID-19 Resources page is being updated continually so you can find critical information in one place. Please send any of your municipally related pandemic questions to covid19@amo.on.ca.
On March 28, 2020, Ontario issued a new emergency order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to prohibit organized public events and social gatherings of more than five people.
Take these everyday steps to reduce exposure to COVID-19 and protect your health:
Wash your hands often with soap & water for at least 20 seconds
If soap is unavailable use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
Dedicated Website Will Include Expanded Information of Confirmed Cases Across the Province
News Release , March 30, 2020
Ontario is enhancing the public information it provides about the status of COVID-19. As the outbreak evolves, Ontario has launched a new dedicated web page and is changing how COVID-19 cases are being reported to provide a more relevant summary of data from Public Health Ontario that offers expanded information every day at 10:30 a.m.
This daily epidemiologic summary replaces the general information on the status of COVID-19 cases that was previously provided twice daily on the web page. The new summary provides more provincial and regional data on confirmed cases, including trends of cases since the outbreak began, geography, exposure and severity.
“Ontario has been diligently monitoring and taking decisive action to stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep Ontarians informed,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “We will continue to work with Public Health Ontario, public health units and the health sector to have and report on the best possible data to help us understand the scope of the COVID-19 outbreak in our province and inform our collective response to keep all Ontarians safe and healthy.”
The daily summary is based on data recorded by local public health units in the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as of 4 p.m. the day before the summary is posted. iPHIS is the Ministry of Health’s disease reporting system, where data is regularly updated. In addition to the daily update to the website, Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health, and Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health, will continue to hold regularly scheduled daily media briefings via teleconference, to provide an update on the province’s ongoing response to COVID-19.
QUICK FACTS
Everyone in Ontario should be practicing physical distancing to reduce their exposure to other people.
Avoid close contact (within 2 metres) with people outside of your immediate families.
If you think you may have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has it, first self-isolate and then use Ontario’s Self-Assessment Tool to see if you need to seek further care.
On March 25, 2020, the federal government announced an Emergency Order under the Quarantine Act, that requires any person entering Canada by air, sea or land to self-isolate for 14 days whether or not they have symptoms of COVID-19. They should monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days.
On March 28, 2020, Ontario issued a new emergency order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to prohibit organized public events and social gatherings of more than five people. Take these everyday steps to reduce exposure to COVID-19 and protect your health: Wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer; Sneeze and cough into your sleeve; Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth; Avoid contact with people who are sick; and Stay home if you are sick.
REMINDER:Leaf and Yard waste was suspended starting on Tuesday, March 24. Until further notice, the City will suspend curbside pick up of leaf and yard waste. Residents are directed to either hold on to their leaf and yard waste, or take it to one of the Community Recycling Centres.
This decision was made to ensure on going waste collections service as our providers have experienced a reduction in staffing due to self-isolation requirements from travel, personal exposure or illness.
Keeping Collectors Healthy The City of Hamilton waste collection crews are still out on the streets, picking up green bins, blue boxes and garbage. While crews have their own health and safety procedures in place, residents are asked to help protect them on the job:
Place used tissues and napkins in the garbage, rather than the green bin.
Please use liner bags (either paper or certified compostable plastic) in the green bin.
Please ensure that all material placed in garbage bins is bagged, not kept loose.
Please follow the advice of Public Health and keep a physical social distance of at least two metres from waste collection staff.
These steps will help protect the health of crews who handle thousands of bins, bags and boxes each week.
Brad Clark Report 
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