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Canada's active COVID-19 case number is rising shortly before most schools reopen – CTV News
TORONTO —
For any Canadians who spent the summer ignoring news about the novel coronavirus, now might be a good time to pay attention.
In the past two weeks, British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba have all set or come close to new daily records for the highest number of new COVID-19 cases reported in each province. On Saturday, both Ontario and Quebec recorded their largest daily figures in a month or more.
In other words, all of Canada’s five most populous provinces are being reminded that COVID-19 is still a threat – even though this is the time of year when viral diseases are least likely to be active.
“Respiratory viruses should not be circulating at all in July and August. We, with doing nothing at all, should be seeing no COVID – but we’re doing a lot, and we’re still seeing COVID,” Dr. Colin Furness, a infection control epidemiologist, said Sunday on CTV News Channel.
“That gives you a sense that the virulence of this virus is there, and it’s going to come back hard.”
But while the records and big increases may seem concerning on their own, experts warn that it’s best not to read too much into the “ongoing blips” of any day’s individual total.
“It’s important for us not to be too concerned about short-term trends, but to look at the bigger picture,” Dr. Matthew Oughton, an infectious diseases specialist at the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, told CTV News Channel on Sunday.
MORE THAN 5,000 ACTIVE CASES
One way to get a sense of that bigger picture is to look at trends around the number of active COVID-19 cases. Because patients are often considered active for a week or more, these numbers are less prone to the wild swings of one-day totals.
With 367 new cases of COVID-19 reported across Canada on Saturday and only 145 new recoveries logged, Canada’s total number of active cases moved past the 5,000 mark for the first time in nearly three weeks, according to CTV News records.
However, saying the number of active cases is at its highest level in a few weeks may be misleading. Quebec has occasionally made major adjustments to its recovery figures with little explanation, including by announcing more than 23,000 new recoveries on July 16.
If those 23,000 cases were to be removed from the historical data on active cases, then Canada would not have had more than 5,000 active cases since June – until Saturday.
Dr. Sumon Chakrabarti, an infectious disease specialist based in Mississauga, Ont., told CTV News Channel on Saturday that he does not see the overall state of COVID-19 activity in Canada as a significant concern, particularly because hospitalization levels have remained steady.
“It is concerning what we’re seeing out there, but in the grand scheme of things it is still overall low community transmission,” he said.
Breaking the numbers down by province and territory, though, it’s clear that the situation is not at all the same in different parts of the country.
A SECOND WAVE IN THE WEST?
Measured by active cases, B.C.’s first wave of COVID-19 peaked on April 28, when authorities knew of 717 patients in the province.
By June, that number was below 200. It stayed there until early July. The number of active cases started to slowly rise at that point, however – and in the past three weeks, the increase has been anything but slow.
On Aug. 10, B.C. passed 400 active cases. Two days later, it passed 500. Two days after that, it passed 600.
By Aug. 21, there were 824 active cases of COVID-19 in the province – more than there ever had been before. And still the number kept rising, hitting 1,014 on Aug 23. As of Friday, the last day the province publicized data, there were 982 active cases.
B.C. is one of two provinces where there are currently more active cases of COVID-19 than there were at any point during the first wave of the pandemic.
The other is Manitoba, which originally topped out just under 200 in early April. Two months after that, its active case count was down to the single digits.
But there have been big increases more recently, starting in July and continuing through August. Manitoba has not reported a decrease in the number of active cases since Aug. 19. As of Sunday, the number sat at 462 – more than double the spring peak.
Saskatchewan was on similar ground last month. The province has twice reported more than 300 active cases of COVID-19 – on back-to-back days in late July. Since then, though, the caseload has shrunk, with fewer than 100 active cases reported every day for the past week.
Although Alberta reported some of its highest single-day new case counts since April, the number of active cases there has remained well below the province’s spring peak.
For the past four weeks, Alberta has hovered between 1,000 and 1,200 active cases. That’s a lot more than the 328 active cases the province bottomed out at on June 5, but it’s far fewer than the more than 3,000 it was tracking in late April and early May.
STABILIZATION IN THE EAST AND NORTH
Whatever is happening in the West does not seem to be affecting the coronavirus situation in Central Canada, Atlantic Canada and the territories.
While Western provinces were setting new records and seeing escalating case counts, Ontario was hitting some of its lowest patient numbers since the earliest days of the pandemic. On Aug. 9, that province reported fewer than 1,000 active cases for the first time since March; the number then stayed below 1,000 for 12 days.
There has been some escalation over the past two weeks, however. There were 904 active cases of COVID-19 in Ontario on Aug. 16, 1,010 on Aug. 23, and 1,181 on Sunday.
Quebec’s numbers are a little harder to judge, because of the two major adjustments to the province’s number of recoveries, but the active case load there appears to have stopped falling and stabilized between 1,200 and 1,300 over the past week and a half.
The numbers are far smaller in Atlantic Canada, where earlier in the summer all four provinces went through periods without a single active case, only for the virus to pop back up.
As of Sunday, there were five active cases of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia, four in New Brunswick, three in Prince Edward Island and one in Newfoundland and Labrador.
There are no active cases in any of the territories; the last of the 20 known total cases was reported in Yukon on Aug. 7.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL LOOMS
Coronavirus activity is expected to ramp up in Canada as summer gives way to fall and the weather cools, driving Canadians indoors where it is easier for the virus to spread.
There are fears that this could be exacerbated by the return of children to classrooms, which is already underway in some parts of the country and will have taken place at most schools within two weeks.
Already in Quebec, approximately 20 teachers have been ordered to isolate after two educators at one high school tested positive for COVID-19. The tests occurred on a preparation day before students were allowed in.
Oughton said that although most French-language high schools in Quebec have resumed classroom instruction, it is too soon for the extent of COVID-19 spread in schools to show up in the province’s numbers.
Another concern is what will happen when COVID-19 overlaps with the traditional winter influenza season. Because the diseases caused by the two viruses present similarly, it is possible that flu symptoms could be enough for quarantines to be ordered or schools to be shut down for fear of an outbreak.
“I think there’s going to be a lot of false alarms,” Oughton said.
The Public Health Agency of Canada’s recent report of an “exceptionally low” amount of flu activity this summer provides some hope here, though. So does data from countries in the Southern Hemisphere, where flu season is already underway and record low levels of influenza are being detected.
Taken together, Oughton said, these statistics show that distancing and other measures taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 are having the same effect on influenza – reducing its transmission rate and reducing the likelihood of widespread “false alarms.”
More money will land in the pockets of Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit (CCB) installment.
The federal government program helps low and middle-income families struggling with the soaring cost of raising a child.
Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or refugees who are the primary caregivers for children under 18 years old are eligible for the program, introduced in 2016.
The non-taxable monthly payments are based on a family’s net income and how many children they have. Families that have an adjusted net income under $34,863 will receive the maximum amount per child.
For a child under six years old, an applicant can annually receive up to $7,437 per child, and up to $6,275 per child for kids between the ages of six through 17.
That translates to up to $619.75 per month for the younger cohort and $522.91 per month for the older group.
The benefit is recalculated every July and most recently increased 6.3 per cent in order to adjust to the rate of inflation, and cost of living.
To apply, an applicant can submit through a child’s birth registration, complete an online form or mail in an application to a tax centre.
The next payment date will take place on May 17.
Keffiyehs remain banned in the Ontario Legislature after a unanimous consent motion that would have allowed the scarf to be worn failed to pass at Queen’s Park Thursday.
That vote, brought forth by NDP Leader Marit Stiles, failed despite Premier Doug Ford and the leaders of the province’s opposition parties all stating they want to see the ban overturned. Complete agreement from all MPPs is required for a motion like this to pass, and there were a smattering of “nos” after it was read into the record.
In an email on Wednesday, Speaker Ted Arnott said the legislature has previously restricted the wearing of clothing that is intended to make an “overt political statement” because it upholds a “standard practice of decorum.”
“The Speaker cannot be aware of the meaning of every symbol or pattern but when items are drawn to my attention, there is a responsibility to respond. After extensive research, I concluded that the wearing of keffiyehs at the present time in our Assembly is intended to be a political statement. So, as Speaker, I cannot authorize the wearing of keffiyehs based on our longstanding conventions,” Arnott said in an email.
Speaking at Queen’s Park Thursday, Arnott said he would reconsider the ban with unanimous consent from MPPs.
“If the house believes that the wearing of the keffiyeh in this house, at the present time, is not a political statement, I would certainly and unequivocally accept the express will of the house with no ifs, ands or buts,” he said.
Keffiyehs are a commonly worn scarf among Arabs, but hold special significance to Palestinian people. They have been a frequent sight among pro-Palestinian protesters calling for an end to the violence in Gaza as the Israel-Hamas war continues.
Premier calls for reversal
Ford said Thursday he’s hopeful Arnott will reverse the ban, but he didn’t say if he would instruct his caucus to support the NDP’s motion.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Ford said the decision was made by the speaker and nobody else.
“I do not support his decision as it needlessly divides the people of our province. I call on the speaker to reverse his decision immediately,” Ford said.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated Thursday that he does not support Speaker Ted Arnott banning keffiyehs in the Ontario Legislature because they are “intended to be a political statement,” as Arnott said in an email Wednesday.
PC Party MPP Robin Martin, who represents Eglinton–Lawrence, voted against the unanimous consent motion Thursday and told reporters she believes the speaker’s initial ruling was the correct one.
“We have to follow the rules of the legislature, otherwise we politicize the entire debate inside the legislature, and that’s not what it’s about. What it’s about is we come there and use our words to persuade, not items of clothing.”
When asked if she had defied a directive from the premier, Martin said, “It has nothing to do with the premier, it’s a decision of the speaker of the legislative assembly.”
Stiles told reporters Thursday she’s happy Ford is on her side on this issue, but added she is disappointed the motion didn’t pass.
“The premier needs to talk to his people and make sure they do the right thing,” she said.
Stiles first urged Arnott to reconsider the ban in an April 12 letter. She said concerns over the directive first surfaced after being flagged by members of her staff, however they have gained prominence after Sarah Jama, Independent MPP for Hamilton Centre, posted about the issue on X, formerly Twitter.
Jama was removed from the NDP caucus for her social media comments on the Israel-Hamas war shortly after Oct. 7.
Jama has said she believes she was kicked out of the party because she called for a ceasefire in Gaza “too early” and because she called Israel an “apartheid state.”
Arnott told reporters Thursday that he began examining a ban on the Keffiyeh after one MPP made a complaint about another MPP, who he believes was Jama, who was wearing one.
Liberals also call for reversal
Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie also called for a reversal of the ban on Wednesday night.
“Here in Ontario, we are home to a diverse group of people from so many backgrounds. This is a time when leaders should be looking for ways to bring people together, not to further divide us. I urge Speaker Arnott to immediately reconsider this move to ban the keffiyeh,” Crombie said.
Keffiyehs are a common garment across the Arab world, but they hold a special meaning in the Palestinian resistance movement.
Stiles said MPPs have worn kilts, kirpans, vyshyvankas and chubas in the legislature, saying such items of clothing not only have national and cultural associations, but have also been considered at times as “political symbols in need of suppression.”
She said Indigenous and non-Indigenous members have also dressed in traditional regalia and these items cannot be separated from their historical and political significance.
“The wearing of these important cultural and national clothing items in our Assembly is something we should be proud of. It is part of the story of who we are as a province,” she said.
“Palestinians are part of that story, and the keffiyeh is a traditional clothing item that is significant not only to them but to many members of Arab and Muslim communities. That includes members of my staff who have been asked to remove their keffiyehs in order to come to work. This is unacceptable.”
Stiles added that House of Commons and other provincial legislatures allow the wearing of keffiyehs in their chambers and the ban makes Ontario an “outlier.”
Suppression of cultural symbols part of genocide: MPP
Jama said on X that the ban is “unsurprising” but “nonetheless concerning” in a country that has a legacy of colonialism. “Part of committing genocide is the forceful suppression of cultural identity and cultural symbols,” she said in part.
“Seeing those in power in this country at all levels of government, from federal all the way down to school boards, aid Israel’s colonial regime with these tactics in the oppression of Palestinian people proves that reconciliation is nothing but a word when spoken by state powers,” she said.
Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, said on X that it is “deeply ironic” on that keffiyehs were banned in the Ontario legislature on the 42nd anniversary of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
“This is wrong and dangerous as we have already seen violence and exclusion impact Canadians, including Muslims of Palestinian descent, who choose to wear this traditional Palestinian clothing,” Elghawaby said.
Arnott said the keffiyeh was not considered a “form of protest” in the legislature prior to statements and debates that happened in the House last fall.
“These items are not absolutes and are not judged in a vacuum,” he said.
Peggys Cove now has a new bylaw to guide development and protect the iconic fishing village’s heritage, but some say the process to create those rules was unfair.
After more than two years of consultation and five different drafts, this week the province approved a new land-use bylaw that will replace one from 2003.
It aims to preserve the “authentic, traditional fishing village” spirit of the cove, while allowing commercial uses where residents can benefit financially from the thousands of tourists who flock to see the area and lighthouse.
But Paul Paruch is one of many who have voiced concerns about conflicts of interest with the Peggy’s Cove Commission, which led the process with support from Upland Planning consultants.
“[I’m] very disappointed, let down,” Paruch said Thursday.
Paruch and his wife, Claire, had hoped to see their property zoned commercial, as Claire has run a hotdog stand there for years. The couple bought a home there with plans to retire and also rent it out, Paruch said, which would also not be allowed.
The new bylaw addresses everything from dwelling size to regulations on building materials. It also has turned many residential lots along Peggys Point Road into mixed-use “core” zoning that would allow for commercial, residential and community purposes.
Vendors and buskers are no longer allowed in the cove, unless they’re accessory to a special event.
Brian Cottam said the new bylaw is a major blow for him and his wife, Kelly Westhaver. Although an early draft of the bylaw zoned their land at 173 Peggys Point Road as commercial, that changed to residential after other residents voiced concerns about having that zoning so close to the lighthouse.
A sale of $1.3 million fell through on the land because a core designation was a condition of the purchase, Cottam said.
“This sale was going to allow us the ability to relax a little and enjoy life, but that has been stripped away,” he said in an email.
Bylaw ‘effectively expropriates’ private land: lawyer
Another property owner, Eleanor McCain, will be getting the commercial zoning she pushed for to allow for new businesses.
However, a lawyer for McCain did raise concerns about how the conservation zone was applied to the rocky waterfront side of her client’s land and many others in the cove. Nancy Rubin of Stewart McKelvey said in a letter to the commission the move “effectively expropriates” private land without any evidence of why it was needed or if it was based on any scientific studies.
Paruch, Cottam and McCain have argued the commission members who run their own commercial enterprises, or are connected to businesses in the cove, are in direct conflicts of interest. The commission is made up of residents, the sitting councillor and representatives from the province to make decisions on changes in the area.
Three commission members must be from the community, but where there’s about 40 permanent residents, it is hard to avoid friendships and family ties.
The Nova Scotia ombudsman’s office is investigating the commission following recent complaints. Both Paruch and Cottam said they had hoped this independent report would lead to the province rejecting the proposed bylaw.
But John Campbell, a lifelong cove resident and owner of the Sou’wester Restaurant in the village and other properties, said the bylaw strikes the right balance.
“I think overall it’s going to be a good thing, but you know when you go through a process like this, not everybody’s going to be happy,” Campbell said.
Campbell said he’s become an “easy target” for the arguments around conflicts of interest, as his daughter Nicole Campbell is commission chair. He said he didn’t get everything he wanted in the new bylaw, pointing out that his request for land to be zoned commercial near the lighthouse was refused.
Campbell agreed that something should change with the makeup of the commission to avoid conflicts in the future, but more analysis should be done on what the fairest approach is.
“It’s a very unique place, Peggys Cove, and you know it’s good to have discussions about it,” Campbell said. “It’s my community that I grew up in, and my closest friends are in, and you know I feel like I could make a living there.”
Economic Development Minister Susan Corkum-Greek said she has faith in the commission’s process, and nothing in the draft report from the ombudsman prevents her from approving the bylaw.
She said the province is also looking at modernizing the legislation governing the commission and the area.
“I think this is an important step, but … it is a first step,” Corkum-Greek told reporters Thursday.
The bylaw will see a new development officer appointed to handle permits and variance requests, while anyone who wants to change their zoning can apply to the commission.
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