Dear Neighbour, 

We have missed opportunities to gather and celebrate with our families over many holidays and milestones due to the pandemic. This long weekend, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health has given the green light for holiday gatherings, but with guidelines on capacity limits, masking, ventilation tips, and more—I’ve included the full guidance below.

This is yet another sign that our collective work is paying off. Our adherence to public health measures and getting vaccinated is helping. Thanks to everyone in our community who is doing their part to stop the spread of COVID-19.

I’m pleased to share that the CMOH has also greenlit Trick-or-Treating for Halloween with guidelines for the kids, the details of which I have included below.

Keeping schools safe and open remains one of my top priorities. Earlier this week, the Ontario government announced a targeted rapid testing program for schools. While the announcement is a good first step, it is still unclear how these tests will be distributed and if every school will have access. My colleagues and I are continuing to push for rapid testing to be available to all schools in Parkdale--High Park and across Ontario. 

Below, I have also included announcements and updates on:

• This week at Queen’s Park;
• Ontario Lifting Select COVID-19 Restrictions;
• Free Menstrual Products in Schools;
• Construction Noise By-laws.

My colleagues and I introduced the following legislation at Queen’s Park this week:

• We introduced Bill 3, the Stopping Anti-Public Health Harassment Act which would create safety zones around hospitals and schools to stop health care workers and children from being harassed. 

• We introduced a motion to protect migratory birds by implementing the Canadian Standards Association (CSA)'s 2019 Bird-Friendly Design standard in the Ontario Building Code.

• We re-introduced Bill 8 (formerly Bill 239), the Stay Home If You Are Sick Act, which would provide paid sick days for all Ontario workers. 

• We re-introduced Bill 14 (formerly Bill 13), the Time to Care Act which would guarantee at least four hours of hands-on care for residents of long-term care. 

Yesterday, the government introduced new omnibus legislation, Bill 13. It is far reaching and impacts everything from electricity to justice administration, election administration to mining and environment protections. I am currently reviewing this legislation and will keep you updated.

Throughout the fall, Ontarians will celebrate a number of holidays, including Thanksgiving.

If you choose to host an in-person gathering:

• do not exceed the gathering limit of 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors
• have the fewest number of people possible at your gathering
• use outdoor spaces whenever possible
• provide all the necessary supplies, including hand sanitizer, soap and water
• open windows, if possible
• clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces
• ask guests not to attend if they have symptoms, even if they are mild
• make a list of guests attending in case your local public health unit needs it for contact tracing
• remind people of public health advice to follow during the event
• wash your hands before and frequently when preparing and serving food
• have everyone wash their hands before and after eating

If you choose to attend an in-person gathering:

• you should not attend if you have any symptoms, even if they are mild
• wash your hands or use hand sanitizer regularly throughout the event
• consider participating virtually or not attending the event if you are immunocompromised or at higher risk of severe disease or exposure to COVID-19

If you trick-or-treat door-to-door:

• stay home if you have symptoms, even if they are mild
• trick-or-treat outdoors as much as possible
• be creative and build the face covering into your costume. Remember that a costume mask is not a substitute for a face covering. A costume mask should not be worn over a non-medical mask or face covering because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe.
• do not crowd doorsteps – take turns one at a time
• do not sing or shout for your treats
• keep interactions brief with those giving out treats
• use hand sanitizer often, especially before and after handling your face covering, after touching frequently touched surfaces, when you arrive home from trick-or-treating, and before and after handling or eating treats
• there is no need to clean or disinfect pre-packaged treats

If trick-or-treating indoors, maintain physical distancing as much as possible and wear a face covering, especially when physical distancing is a challenge.

If you choose to give out treats:

• do not participate in Halloween festivities if you have symptoms, even if they are mild
• keep interactions with trick-or-treaters short and encourage them to move along after receiving their treat from you
• consider wearing a face covering when physical distancing cannot be maintained
• consider including the face covering as part of your costume if you are dressing up
• give out only purchased and packaged treats
• do not ask trick-or-treaters to sing or shout for their treats
• clean your hands often throughout the evening using soap and water or with hand sanitizer

The government announced they are lifting capacity limits in select indoor and outdoor settings where proof of vaccination is required, as well as certain outdoor settings that have a capacity below 20,000.

Effective Saturday, October 9, 2021, at 12:01 a.m., capacity limits will be lifted to allow 100 per cent capacity in the following settings:

• Concert venues, theatres and cinemas;
• Spectator areas of facilities for sports and recreational fitness (would not include gyms, personal training);
• Meeting and event spaces (indoor meeting and event spaces will still need to limit capacity to the number that can maintain physical distancing);
• Horse racing tracks, car racing tracks, and other similar venues; and
• Commercial film and television productions with studio audiences.

The Ontario government will begin the distribution of free menstrual products to all Ontario schools. In 2019, students from Parkdale PS who took part in my Girls Government program identified this as a key issue and brought it to Queen’s Park. It’s thanks to them, and the advocacy of organizations like The Period Purse and the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association, that the government moved on it. 

It is important that the government has recognized the need for menstrual equity, but their plan fails to guarantee all schools will get an adequate supply of period products. It’s also unacceptable that they’re relying on the charity of a private corporation to support the initiative, instead of supplying proper funding.

For the past 18 months, I have been hearing from folks across Parkdale—High Park who have had to suffer through the effects of the deregulation of construction noise by-laws, resulting in construction noise late into the night and early morning. 

This happened when the government, under the cover of the pandemic, implemented a regulation that took power away from municipalities to control their noise by-laws through the use of Emergency Orders.

Earlier this week, my colleagues and I urged the Premier to restore the municipal authority on construction noise by not extending O. Reg. 130/20, which was set to expire on October 7, 2021. Today, I’m happy to share that the government has not extended the regulation, and the authority has been restored to municipalities.

Toronto’s pre-existing noise by-law will come back into effect. Construction noise will not be permitted from:

• 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next day, except until 9 a.m. on Saturdays
• All day Sunday and statutory holidays