Dear Neighbour, 

Today, the Premier announced that Ontario will move to a “province-wide emergency brake shutdown” for four weeks starting this Saturday at 12:01am.  As Toronto was already a hotspot and in Grey-Lockdown, things are not changing too much. Please find details of this version of lockdown below.

According to the Science Advisory Table’s Scientific Director Dr. Juni, the spread of COVID-19 is “completely out of control” in Ontario.  The Science Advisory Table has once again recommended that lockdown be coupled with other measures such as paid sick days for essential workers in order to be effective. The Premier is still not listening to expert advice and refusing to provide paid sick days. I’m afraid that without it, this approach will fail us again, like it has before. I will continue to fight for this at Queen’s Park because as Dr. Stall, another member of the Science Table said, we cannot afford to be "repeating the same mistakes over and over and over again."

As variants of COVID-19 are making up 67% of infections, the province must do a better job with the vaccine rollout. I have been pushing for mobile vaccination clinics in our community as the rollout has not been equitable so far, and also ensuring homebound seniors are not left behind. 

There are several changes to vaccine eligibility that you should be aware of. All adults 60+ are now eligible for vaccination, and all adults 50+ living in the M6K postal code area are now eligible for vaccination. There is also an expanded amount of availability at pharmacies for anyone aged 55+. Several hospitals are also taking registrations for those with eligible health conditions. More details below. 

Finally, we’ve been debating Ontario’s Budget 2021 in the Legislature and I have been pushing for action to address the child care crisis and action on poverty (OW and ODSP) among many other issues. 

Warmly, 

Measures will take effect on Saturday, April 3 at 12:01am. 

• Prohibiting indoor organized public events and social gatherings and limiting the capacity for outdoor organized public events or social gatherings to a 5-person maximum, except for gatherings with members of the same household (the people you live with) or gatherings of members of one household and one other person from another household who lives alone.

• Restricting in-person shopping in all retail settings, including a 50 per cent capacity limit for supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, indoor farmers' markets, other stores that primarily sell food, and pharmacies, and 25 per cent for all other retail including big box stores, along with other public health and workplace safety measures;

• Prohibiting personal care services;

• Prohibiting indoor and outdoor dining. Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments will be permitted to operate by take-out, drive-through, and delivery only;

• Prohibiting the use of facilities for indoor or outdoor sports and recreational fitness (e.g., gyms) with very limited exceptions;

• Requiring day camps to close; and,

• Limiting capacity at weddings, funerals, and religious services, rites or ceremonies to 15 per cent occupancy per room indoors, and to the number of individuals that can maintain two metres of physical distance outdoors. This does not include social gatherings associated with these services such as receptions, which are not permitted indoors and are limited to five people outdoors.

All Adults aged 60+

Beginning tomorrow at 8pm, all adults aged 60+ (born 1961 or earlier) living in the City of Toronto can book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at any City-run mass immunization clinic or local hospitals. 

Book your appointment
 

All Adults aged 55+

Starting today, all adults aged 55+ (born 1966 or earlier) living in the City of Toronto can book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at any participating pharmacy location. 

Find your nearest pharmacy here 
 

Adults aged 50+ in M6K, South Parkdale

Beginning this evening at 7PM, all adults aged 50+ (born 1971 or earlier) living in the M6K postal code (South Parkdale) can book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at St. Joseph’s Health Centre. The eligibility criteria will not reflect this change before 7PM this evening. 

Book your appointment
 

Eligible health conditions

• Sunnybrook’s COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic is now booking appointments for those with the highest-risk and high-risk health conditions. Register here. 
• University Healh Network is taking pre-registrations for those with the highest-risk, high-risk, and at-risk health conditions. This pre-registration is only open to those who live East of Roncesvalles Ave. Pre-register here
• Unity Health Toronto is booking appointments those with the highest-risk and high-risk health conditions and up to one of their caregivers. Register here. 

Highest risk

• Organ transplant recipients
• Hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients
• People with neurological diseases in which respiratory function may be compromised (for example, motor neuron disease, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis)
• Haematological malignancy diagnosed within the last year
• Kidney disease with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) under 30

High risk

• Obesity (BMI over 40)
• Other treatments causing immunosuppression (for example, chemotherapy, immunity-weakening medications)
• Intellectual or developmental disabilities (for example, Down Syndrome)

At risk

• Immune deficiencies and autoimmune disorders
• Stroke and cerebrovascular disease
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• Liver disease
• All other cancers
• Respiratory diseases
• Spleen problems
• Heart disease
• Hypertension with end organ damage
• Diagnosed mental disorder
• Substance use disorders
• Sickle cell disease
• Thalassemia
• Pregnancy
• Immunocompromising health conditions
• Other disabilities requiring direct support care in the community

You can find more information about vaccinations and the existing eligible populations on my website.