Category: Ontario

Ontario Declines Long-Term Care Commissioner’s Request for More Investigation Time

Ontario has rejected a request by an independent commission asking for more time to complete its final report on the causes and prevention of COVID-19 spread in long-term care (LTC) homes across the province. LTC minister Merrilee Fullerton says the deadline of the final report is still expected by April 30. But the province’s long-term…


The Arrogance Behind Lockdowns

Commentary If you’re finding the lockdown aggravating, allow me to assist. With the aggravation, I mean. By saying the capricious way the authorities keep ordering lockdowns means they think whatever we might have been doing until they stopped us wasn’t important anyway. Of course, they pontificate about following “the science.” But it hasn’t worked very…


One-Third of Ontario’s Long Term Care Homes Experiencing Outbreaks of COVID-19

A third of Ontario’s long-term care homes are reporting COVID-19 outbreaks, marking a new record for the province, as advocates say spread among staff has forced some facilities to seek new sources of support to care for residents. According to provincial data, 207 of the 626 long-term care homes in Ontario are currently experiencing outbreaks…


Ontario Students Return to Virtual School as Part of Lockdown Measures

TORONTO—Students across Ontario will return to the virtual classroom today as part of a provincewide lockdown. The measure ends for all students in northern Ontario and elementary students in southern Ontario after the first week back from winter break. High schoolers in southern Ontario will continue online learning until Jan. 25. The move is part…


Ontario Tourism and Hospitality Industries to Lose $2 Billion in Revenue With More People Staying Home on New Year Eve: Survey

Waiters, bartenders, and workers in the tourism industry are once again feeling the impact of the pandemic-related closures on New Year’s Eve, as more Ontarians plan to welcome 2021 at home. An online survey of 1,091 adults revealed that Ontarians spend an average of $366 on New Year Eve in a typical year. But on…


Canadian Municipalities Stick With Online Voting Despite Concerns

News Analysis Many Canadian municipalities continue to favour online voting and computerized vote counting despite controversies around these technologies and expert warnings about cybersecurity risks and other issues. Twelve Canadian municipalities used some form of online voting in 2003, 44 in 2010, 97 in 2014, and 194 in 2018, according to a CBC report. In the…


Ontario Government Faces Criticism After Vaccine Shots Slowed Over Holidays

The Ontario government has come under fire from critics after COVID-19 immunizations ramped down over the holidays. The Ministry of Health said in a statement Monday that hospitals administering the vaccine asked to change the schedule to ensure proper staffing levels on wards and in long-term care homes during the break. The province said five…


Limited Quantity of Ontario Icewine Likely toMake 2020 Bottles in High Demand

TORONTO—The smallest ever recorded amount of Ontario grapes designated for icewine is likely to create a high demand for 2020 bottles of the super sweet treat. VQA Ontario, the province’s wine regulator, reported just more than 1,000 tonnes of grapes registered for icewines this year, down from almost 6,000 tonnes last year. It’s a record…


Limited Quantity of Ontario Icewine Likely to Make 2020 Bottles in High Demand

TORONTO—The smallest ever recorded amount of Ontario grapes designated for icewine is likely to create a high demand for 2020 bottles of the super sweet treat. VQA Ontario, the province’s wine regulator, reported just more than 1,000 tonnes of grapes registered for icewines this year, down from almost 6,000 tonnes last year. It’s a record…


Ontario Confirms Canada’s First Two Cases of COVID-19 Variant Discovered in UK

A variant of COVID−19 that has ravaged the U.K. is now in Canada, health officials said Saturday as they announced an Ontario couple had been diagnosed with the contagious new strain. The province’s associate chief medical officer of health said in a news release that the strain of COVID−19 was identified in a couple from…