OTTAWA —
Ottawa Public Health says 59 more people in Ottawa have tested positive for COVID-19 and one more person has died.
According to OPH’s COVID-19 dashboard, there have been 14,007 total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa since the pandemic began and 433 residents have died.
There was no update from Ontario health officials today due to the Family Day holiday.
Ottawa Public Health is also reporting an increase in the number of known active cases in the city for the fifth day in a row after active cases hit a 2021 low of 402 on Feb. 10.
The number of people in hospital has also increased, but remains below 20.
This is the final day of a stay-at-home order for Ottawa. Starting Tuesday, Ottawa will return to the “Orange-Restrict” level under Ontario’s colour-coded COVID-19 framework.
OTTAWA’S COVID-19 KEY STATISTICS
Ottawa Public Health will be moved to the “Orange-Restrict” status under Ontario’s COVID-19 framework at 12:01 a.m. Feb. 16.
Ottawa Public Health data:
COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 28.5 (up from 26.0 cases on Sunday and 27.6 cases on Saturday)
Positivity rate in Ottawa: 1.6 per cent (Feb. 8-14)
Reproduction number: 1.00 (seven day average)
Reproduction values greater than 1 indicate the virus is spreading and each case infects more than one contact. If it is less than 1, it means spread is slowing.
The Orange-Restrict category of Ontario’s COVID-19 framework includes a weekly rate of cases per 100,000 between 25 to 39.9, a percent positivity of 1.3 to 2.4 per cent, and a reproduction number of approximately 1 to 1.1.
VACCINES IN OTTAWA
As of Feb. 12
Vaccine doses administered in Ottawa (first and second shots): 38,030*
*OPH says staff were able to extract additional doses out of several vials, which were given to residents. In a statement on its dashboard, OPH said, “Vaccine inventory is based on an expected 5 dose per vial supply. Occasionally, an additional dose (6th dose) is successfully extracted and administered to clients.”
ACTIVE CASES OF COVID-19 IN OTTAWA
The number of people with known active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa rose to 438 from 426 on Sunday.
This is the fifth day in a row that active cases in the city have been increasing, after hitting a 2021 low of 402 on Feb. 10.
OPH reported 46 newly resolved cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Monday, bringing the city’s total to 13,136.
The number of active cases is the number of total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 minus the numbers of resolved cases and deaths. A case is considered resolved 14 days after known symptom onset or positive test result.
HOSPITALIZATIONS IN OTTAWA
There are 17 people in Ottawa hospitals with COVID-19 complications, up from 13 on Sunday. Three people remain in intensive care.
Of the people in hospital, two are in their 40s, two are in their 50s, five are in their 60s, five are in their 70s (two are in the ICU), and three are in their 80s (one is in the ICU),
COVID-19 CASES IN OTTAWA BY AGE CATEGORY
0-9 years old: Two new cases (1,033 total cases)
10-19 years-old: Nine new case (1,726 total cases)
20-29 years-old: 17 new cases (2,989 total cases)
30-39 years-old: Four new cases (1,965 total cases)
40-49 years-old: 11 new cases (1,825 total cases)
50-59 years-old: Eight new cases (1,688 total cases)
60-69-years-old: Three new cases (1,024 total cases)
70-79 years-old: Two new cases (627 total cases)
80-89 years-old: Two new cases (686 total cases)
90+ years old: Zero new cases (440 total cases)
Unknown: One new case (4 cases total)
INSTITUTIONAL OUTBREAKS
Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 24 institutions in Ottawa, including long-term care homes, retirement homes, daycares, hospitals and schools.
No new outbreaks were declared on Monday. An outbreak at the Oakpark Retirement Community has ended
There are seven active community outbreaks, two are linked to retail workplaces, two are linked to health workplaces, one is linked to a corporate/office setting, one is linked to a distribution centre, and one is linked to a warehouse.
The schools and childcare spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School
Centre educatif La Clementine (École Marie-Curie)
Charles H. Hulse Public School
CityView – Home Child Care – 32814
CityView – Home Child Care – 32912
Mothercraft Ottawa home child care – 32715
Playtime Daycare Centre – Licensed Childcare
The long-term care homes, retirement homes, hospitals, and other spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:
Carlingwood Retirement
Extendicare Starwood
Garry J. Armstrong long-term care home
Group Home – 32432
Group Home – 32782
Maison Acceuil Sagesse
Manoir Marochel
Montfort Long-term Care Centre
Residence St. Louis
Shelter – 28778
Shelter – 29677
Shelter – 29770
Shelter – 29860
Shelter – 32620
Supported Independent Living – 32891
The Edinburgh Retirement Residence
Villa Marconi
A single laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 in a resident or staff member of a long-term care home, retirement home or shelter triggers an outbreak response, according to Ottawa Public Health. In childcare settings, a single confirmed, symptomatic case in a staff member, home daycare provider, or child triggers an outbreak.
Under provincial guidelines, a COVID-19 outbreak in a school is defined as two or more lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in students and/or staff in a school with an epidemiological link, within a 14-day period, where at least one case could have reasonably acquired their infection in the school (including transportation and before or after school care).
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.
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.
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.
