The city's press conference will start at 4PM. I'll be tweeting here. You can watch live here:
As @EdTubb noted, Toronto is approaching >100 weekly average cases per 100,000 people. Those numbers are still headed in the wrong direction a week after Ford announced Toronto would enter "orange" category of new framework. We've been in a holding pattern waiting for local input
That latest metric could qualify Toronto for the "red" category of the province's re-opening framework but their slide deck tells me they consider previous two weeks of information. In any event, we'll hear city's take soon. Officials have been tight-lipped about what to expect Image
Under that "red" category, indoor dining and gym classes are still allowed.
Some important political context as we await the news: This time last month, it took Ford a week to agree with Dr. Eileen de Villa, who explicitly asked the province to further shut businesses and restrict activities as cases climbed in Toronto thestar.com/news/gta/2020/…
There was a very terse but cordial public standoff between Tory/de Villa and Ford which saw de Villa insisting she lacked the legal authority to make those closures herself and Ford insisting she did but eventually relenting thestar.com/news/gta/2020/…
This time around, Ford is again saying de Villa has all the powers she needs to make changes to the framework for Toronto. We're about to find out if she thinks that's true.
Press briefing is starting. Tory: "We are clearly in the midst of a second wave . . . This wave continues to build at a pace that is no less than alarming."
De Villa is going to outline "recommendations", Tory says. Says she's been clear the actions are needed. These are "strong and responsible" actions, he says. Waiting to hear what they are and if they're enforceable.
Tory says he's satisfied these measures - not yet explained - are needed. Again, not sure why we're hearing Tory's opinion about it before actually hearing what's being recommended.
Tory says recent stats in Toronto "set alarm bells ringing." He's outlining a lot of concerning information that my Star colleagues wrote about in today's paper: thestar.com/news/gta/2020/…
Tory says Toronto can't afford to be in lockdown again, pointing to several European countries currently seeing massive case counts and strict measures as a result
Tory says de Villa will recommend more restrictions on top of province's "red" category. He says that will include prohibiting any indoor dining (Red category allows 10 people max dining inside)
De Villa will also recommend not socializing with people you don't live with, similar to Peel's top doctor. It sounds like this will not be an enforceable by the city, as in Peel, but an ask of de Villa to Toronto residents
Again, I wish I could tell you for sure what these measures are and how strong they are but Tory is still speaking
Tory apologizes to reporters for a 4PM news conference and I accept.
De Villa speaking now says of all the residents tested for COVID-19 between Nov. 1 and Nov. 7, 5.9% tested positive. Public health wants to see that "per cent positivity" number below 3%. 533 new cases reported today alone.
De Villa going over these stats, setting up restrictions she's about to recommend above and beyond provincial rules
"The grave risk we currently face is evident. more action is required to protect the people of Toronto from the rampant spread of COVID-19," de Villa says.
OK here we go. De Villa says she'll use her powers under s.22 of provincial legislation to: Continue to prohibit indoor dining; keep meeting and event spaces, casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments closed; prohibit group fitness classes
On top of those enforceable restrictions, de Villa is recommending (non-enforceable) people restrict their socialization to people in their own household and that businesses continue to have work from home plans
These powers de Villa says she's using are the ones she was reluctant to use before after getting legal advice she could be personally liable for such sweeping measures. Legal experts told me she had every ability to use her authority under the Health Protection and Promotion Act
It's unclear if de Villa's orders have an end date or are indefinite. Will ask that when we get to questions.
Naturally, there is apparently some confusion. Gyms will be open, but group fitness classes will be prohibited in Toronto under de Villa's orders.
New measures will be in place 28 days (I missed her saying that, thank you for all the tweets!)
De Villa says the legal advice about using these s.22 powers hasn't changed but the urgency of the situation has. She's basically, it sounds like, being forced to do something more here despite getting legal advice to the contrary
She also says that in terms of things getting out of control, she doesn't want to see that happen and hopes these measures will prevent it. Some are additional to the current situation so not just a "hold steady" plan. I'm waiting to see more details on the orders to assess that
Obviously asking everyone to not see anyone else outside their household is stronger advice than before but, again, these are *not* part of her orders and can't be policed by city by-law officers

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More from @jpags

10 Nov
Strange these days to see the mayor with the premier (via @CP24). My quick scan says last time they were together publicly was in August and only one other time during this pandemic Image
Ford is re-announcing budget plan of allowing municipal property tax reductions for small businesses. We're not expecting details on Toronto's re-opening plan from this North York presser, but I suspect my Queen's Park colleagues will pepper them with questions about it
I have been corrected - Ford and Tory were together at a testing site in Rexdale earlier this month
Read 4 tweets
10 Nov
We're expecting to hear from city officials today on their preferred re-opening plan ahead of Saturday's deadline. The A+ duo of @katecallen & @jyangstar took a close look at where Toronto is at after 28 days. A very important read as we await that update: thestar.com/news/gta/2020/…
Important things to know: Toronto is currently in a "modified stage 2" under old system of provincial restrictions. That means, as you're currently experiencing, no indoor dining or gyms + other measures
Under province's new provincial framework, which rolled out elsewhere this past weekend, Toronto would have technically been in the "orange" or "restrict" category that would allow:

✅ 50 people dining indoors (at tables of 4 max)
✅ 50-person indoor gym classes
Read 6 tweets
9 Nov
At today's city briefing, Tory says he's asked Dr. Eileen de Villa if more needs to be done to save lives. Toronto is set to enter less restrictive stage of re-opening this Saturday. Tory says consultations also include with city lawyers. Says we can expect to hear more tomorrow
Over the weekend, we saw Peel Region's medical officer direct and recommend further restrictions under the new modified stage two (different than the old modified stage 2 Toronto is currently in) to prevent virus spread. Ford earlier told reporters he supports that move
“We’re going to communicate and make sure that we’re all on the same page at the end of the day," Ford said of Toronto when @l_stone asked what Toronto can do if they aren't ready for further re-opening
Read 8 tweets
29 Jul
Council will begin shortly for second day of meeting of this last session before the summer break (unless COVID-19 brings them back together). On the agenda still:
- The city's unresolved $1.35B budget hole
- Auditor's report on tree maintenance
- Expanding into the Yellowbelt
Additional items on the agenda still:
- Exploring a legal challenge to province's new evictions legislation
- Additional public health measures for bars and restaurants
First up will be the additional public health measures. That supplementary report was quietly submitted yesterday ahead of the province's announcement. As Tory mentioned, it's a backup plan if the province doesn't adopt Toronto officials' recommendations: toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2…
Read 51 tweets
29 Jun
Good morning! Council meets today for the first regular - but still virtual - meeting during the COVID-19 emergency. The agenda is absolutely packed (seriously, 185 items). The debate that will take centre stage today is future of policing in this city: thestar.com/news/gta/2020/…
At the link above you can both watch the council livestream and follow along with my updates/analysis all in one place (thanks, wonderful digital desk)
On policing, there has been a lot leading up to this. Here, I wrote about the protests and pressure mounting ahead of today's debate: thestar.com/news/gta/2020/…
Read 118 tweets
29 May
The City of Toronto's regular COVID-19 briefing will start shortly. Lots to talk about. I'll be tweeting. You can watch here:
Mayor Tory says the ability for people to distance themselves in transit vehicles will be one of the most difficult things about the re-opening. He says that's why they've created ActiveTO and strongly urging people to wear face masks on TTC
Tory announces the city, a number of major downtown employers and post-secondary institutions will support the majority of employees, where possible, continuing to work from home until September at the earliest
Read 10 tweets

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