A group of Halton politicians have sent a letter to Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams asking not to send Halton Region back into a modified Stage 2.
The primary push back against the potential for Halton's possible move into modified Stage 2 addresses businesses that likely would not survive another shutdown. A full copy of the letter is available to online here for reading.
Halton is one of only two parts of the Greater Toronto Area that remain in Stage 3 of the province’s reopening plan. Even though Halton’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hamidah Meghani is pushing for a move to a modified Stage 2, the letter's five signers say there is no evidence to suggest the move will have “any meaningful impact.”
The letter, sent early this morning Saturday, October 24, was signed by five individuals from across Halton:
- MPP Parm Gill (Milton)
- MPP Jane McKenna (Burlington)
- Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr
- Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward
- Milton Mayor Gordon Krantz
Nobody official at either the municipal, regional or provincial level from Oakville signed the letter sent today.
The letter points out that when York Region was moved to a modified Stage 2 last week their positivity rate had reached a high-alert level of 2.5% positivity in testing. The letter also correctly says that hasn't happened yet in Halton Region.
“Instead of imposing blanket measures," the letter reads, "Halton residents are asking that we target activities and locations that pose the highest risk of transmission, including limiting non-essential travel outside of identified hotspots.”
The group also asks Dr. Williams to "clearly define the criteria used to determine when further restrictions or rollbacks are required, as well as the criteria that must be met for lifting any restrictions or rollbacks."
Premier Doug Ford said he "hopes to have an answer by Monday" about whether Halton must revert to a modified Stage 2. That designation (currently in effect for the four highest COVID-19 risk regions in Ontario) forces indoor dining, gyms and movie theatres to close.
The letter ends with the group thanking Dr. Williams for his "tireless efforts on behalf of all Ontarians." Read the letter at this link.