Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Sunday
CBC
The latest:
Ontario is reporting 4,177 new cases on Sunday — its highest daily count since April — as stricter public health measures took effect, with capacity limits back in place in restaurants and a smaller cap on social gatherings.
The province also reported two new deaths. There were 283 people hospitalized with COVID-19 and 159 people in the ICU according to the latest hospital figures, Health Minister Christine Elliott said in a tweet.
Premier Doug Ford announced the new restrictions on Friday, saying the Omicron variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is so contagious it threatens to overwhelm the health-care system.
Restaurants, gyms and many other indoor settings now have a 50 per cent capacity limit.
No more than 10 people can attend indoor social gatherings — down from 25 — and there's a maximum of 25 attendees at outdoor social gatherings, down from 100.
And cinemas, arenas and other large venues are no longer allowed to serve food or drinks.
The measures come as cases have been rising rapidly, with the seven-day average of new daily diagnoses sitting at 2,156 Saturday, compared to 1,194 a week earlier.
The province has also ramped up its COVID-19 vaccine booster campaign. Starting Monday, all adults are eligible for a booster, provided it's been at least three months since their second dose.
Ford says the public health measures are meant to slow the spread while people are getting their boosters and the shots are kicking in.
The Omicron variant is compelling many jurisdictions across the country to reintroduce public health restrictions just ahead of Christmas. New public health measures are set to begin Monday in Quebec and British Columbia, while Manitoba will bring in new restrictions on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Ottawa will tighten border rules as of Tuesday, requiring a pre-arrival negative molecular test result for COVID-19, even for short trips of less than 72 hours.
— From CBC News and The Canadian Press, last updated at 10:30 a.m. ET
Nova Scotia reported 476 new cases on Sunday, the fourth straight day of record high daily cases in the province. A Halifax hospital has said it is rescheduling non-urgent surgeries because a "rapidly growing" number of employees are isolating from exposures to COVID-19.
One of Prince Edward Island’s last surviving Second World War veterans has died.
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada has too much regulation and not enough investments in clean energy and technology — and he's making his most direct repudiation yet of his predecessor's environmental policies.
WARNING: This story contains distressing content, including racist, violent and antisemitic language.
A national Jewish advocacy organization is taking legal action against Manitoba's medical regulator over a complaint it made last year alleging a prominent doctor made antisemitic comments on social media.
A cat that went missing in a remote area of northeastern B.C. is finally back home with its family in Oklahoma, five months later.
It wasn’t clear trolleys would be a hit in Medicine Hat, but the Sunshine Trolley has wound its way into Hatters’ hearts.
More than 200 volunteers and politicians gathered in Etobicoke Saturday for the Daily Bread Food Bank’s holiday sort.
The rising cost-of-living has already made supporting a family difficult this year. But, the holidays can make staying on budget that much harder.
Strong winds across the Maritimes left thousands of N.B. Power customers without electricity on Saturday afternoon — and it could be days before all customers have their power restored.
Toronto police say they located a body inside a downtown Toronto home Saturday.
Quebec Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge is responding to public outcry against his government’s policy changes for non-permanent residents by making a plea to the federal government.
A man in Saskatoon is in hospital after being shot by police as officers executed a warrant late Friday night.
RCMP say a man who was reported missing near Key First Nation has been found deceased.