Ontario schools will be forced to close again as spread of COVID-19 variant increases, infectious disease expert says - CTV Toronto | Canada News Media
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Ontario schools will be forced to close again as spread of COVID-19 variant increases, infectious disease expert says – CTV Toronto

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TORONTO —
An infectious disease expert says he believes schools in Ontario will be forced to shut down once again to slow the surge of COVID-19 variant cases in the province.

Dr. Colin Furness, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health, made the prediction on Friday, a day after Ontario released updated modelling data, which suggested that the province could see as many as 8,000 COVID-19 cases per day by April, largely fueled by the spread of the more contagious variants of the disease.

“We know from the European experience that the kinds of control measures that we use are effective against the variants, we just need to maybe ramp it up a bit,” Furness said while speaking to Newstalk 1010 Friday. “I would expect us to need to have to close schools as an important measure, once the variants really pick up steam, and I’m expecting that to happen in the middle of April.”

On Thursday, Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table presented new COVID-19 modelling data, which concluded that variants of the disease could potentially bring on a third wave of infection in the province.

The table said that the behavior of residents over the next few weeks would be “critical” in determining the quality of Ontario’s summer.

“Our ability to control the rate of spread will determine whether we return to normal, or we face a third wave,” Dr. Adalsteinn Brown, the co-chair of Ontario’s COVID-19 science advisory table, said during the modelling update.

In February, Furness predicted that the spread of COVID-19 variants would trigger an “ugly” third wave of the pandemic around April that could send Ontario into a third lockdown.

There are currently 1,081 confirmed cases of variants of concern in Ontario, including the U.K., South African, and Brazilian variant.

On Friday, Furness underscored that while he hopes his prediction is wrong, he said it appears the trends of variant spread in Ontario will make the eventual closure of schools inevitable.

“The good news is, the weather is getting warmer and vaccinations are really ramping up. So, as dire as this looks, I think it’s also going to be fairly short lived. And so I really do want people to feel concerned, but also positive,” he said.

Students in Ontario have been forced to navigate COVID-19 through a mixture of in-person and remote learning since last March when the pandemic was first declared.

Most recently, the Ministry of Education announced in February that it would be postponing March Break for students and teachers from March 15 to the week of April 12 to limit community transmission of COVID-19.

In response to Furness’s prediction, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education said that its priority is to keep schools open and safe.

“Following the best public health advice, we have strengthened our screening, testing, and masking requirements to maintain the safety of students and staff from variants of concern,” Caitlin Clark told CTV News Toronto in an email.

“As we have done throughout this pandemic, we will continue to follow the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.” 

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Carry On Canadian Business. Carry On!

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1 day ago

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October 22, 2024

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business to start in Canada

Human Resources Officers must be very busy these days what with the general turnover of employees in our retail and business sectors. It is hard enough to find skilled people let alone potential employees willing to be trained. Then after the training, a few weeks go by then they come to you and ask for a raise. You refuse as there simply is no excess money in the budget and away they fly to wherever they come from, trained but not willing to put in the time to achieve that wanted raise.

I have had potentials come in and we give them a test to see if they do indeed know how to weld, polish or work with wood. 2-10 we hire, and one of those is gone in a week or two. Ask that they want overtime, and their laughter leaving the building is loud and unsettling. Housing starts are doing well but way behind because those trades needed to finish a project simply don’t come to the site, with delay after delay. Some people’s attitudes are just too funny. A recent graduate from a Ivy League university came in for an interview. The position was mid-management potential, but when we told them a three month period was needed and then they would make the big bucks they disappeared as fast as they arrived.

Government agencies are really no help, sending us people unsuited or unwilling to carry out the jobs we offer. Handing money over to staffing firms whose referrals are weak and ineffectual. Perhaps with the Fall and Winter upon us, these folks will have to find work and stop playing on the golf course or cottaging away. Tried to hire new arrivals in Canada but it is truly difficult to find someone who has a real identity card and is approved to live and work here. Who do we hire? Several years ago my father’s firm was rocking and rolling with all sorts of work. It was a summer day when the immigration officers arrived and 30+ employees hit the bricks almost immediately. The investigation that followed had threats of fines thrown at us by the officials. Good thing we kept excellent records, photos and digital copies. We had to prove the illegal documents given to us were as good as the real McCoy.

Restauranteurs, builders, manufacturers, finishers, trades-based firms, and warehousing are all suspect in hiring illegals, yet that becomes secondary as Toronto increases its minimum wage again bringing our payroll up another $120,000. Survival in Canada’s financial and business sectors is questionable for many. Good luck Chuck!. at least your carbon tax refund check should be arriving soon.

Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
skaszab@yahoo.ca

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Imperial to cut prices in NWT community after low river prevented resupply by barges

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October 22, 2024

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NORMAN WELLS, N.W.T. – Imperial Oil says it will temporarily reduce its fuel prices in a Northwest Territories community that has seen costs skyrocket due to low water on the Mackenzie River forcing the cancellation of the summer barge resupply season.

Imperial says in a Facebook post it will cut the air transportation portion that’s included in its wholesale price in Norman Wells for diesel fuel, or heating oil, from $3.38 per litre to $1.69 per litre, starting Tuesday.

The air transportation increase, it further states, will be implemented over a longer period.

It says Imperial is closely monitoring how much fuel needs to be airlifted to the Norman Wells area to prevent runouts until the winter road season begins and supplies can be replenished.

Gasoline and heating fuel prices approached $5 a litre at the start of this month.

Norman Wells’ town council declared a local emergency on humanitarian grounds last week as some of its 700 residents said they were facing monthly fuel bills coming to more than $5,000.

“The wholesale price increase that Imperial has applied is strictly to cover the air transportation costs. There is no Imperial profit margin included on the wholesale price. Imperial does not set prices at the retail level,” Imperial’s statement on Monday said.

The statement further said Imperial is working closely with the Northwest Territories government on ways to help residents in the near term.

“Imperial Oil’s decision to lower the price of home heating fuel offers immediate relief to residents facing financial pressures. This step reflects a swift response by Imperial Oil to discussions with the GNWT and will help ease short-term financial burdens on residents,” Caroline Wawzonek, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance and Infrastructure, said in a news release Monday.

Wawzonek also noted the Territories government has supported the community with implementation of a fund supporting businesses and communities impacted by barge cancellations. She said there have also been increases to the Senior Home Heating Subsidy in Norman Wells, and continued support for heating costs for eligible Income Assistance recipients.

Additionally, she said the government has donated $150,000 to the Norman Wells food bank.

In its declaration of a state of emergency, the town said the mayor and council recognized the recent hike in fuel prices has strained household budgets, raised transportation costs, and affected local businesses.

It added that for the next three months, water and sewer service fees will be waived for all residents and businesses.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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U.S. vote has Canadian business leaders worried about protectionist policies: KPMG

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October 22, 2024

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TORONTO – A new report says many Canadian business leaders are worried about economic uncertainties related to the looming U.S. election.

The survey by KPMG in Canada of 735 small- and medium-sized businesses says 87 per cent fear the Canadian economy could become “collateral damage” from American protectionist policies that lead to less favourable trade deals and increased tariffs

It says that due to those concerns, 85 per cent of business leaders in Canada polled are reviewing their business strategies to prepare for a change in leadership.

The concerns are primarily being felt by larger Canadian companies and sectors that are highly integrated with the U.S. economy, such as manufacturing, automotive, transportation and warehousing, energy and natural resources, as well as technology, media and telecommunications.

Shaira Nanji, a KPMG Law partner in its tax practice, says the prospect of further changes to economic and trade policies in the U.S. means some Canadian firms will need to look for ways to mitigate added costs and take advantage of potential trade relief provisions to remain competitive.

Both presidential candidates have campaigned on protectionist policies that could cause uncertainty for Canadian trade, and whoever takes the White House will be in charge during the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in 2026.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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