Ontario sees 409 new COVID-19 cases as most outdoor capacity limits lifted
CBC
Ontario reported 409 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, as the province announced it is removing capacity limits for outdoor, organized events such as Remembrance Day ceremonies and Santa Claus parades.
Some cities, including Toronto, have already opted not to do a traditional Santa Claus parade with crowds this year.
A spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott said outdoor capacity limits are also lifted in most other sectors, such as fairs and festivals, outdoor areas of museums and zoos, and ski hills as well as other outdoor recreational amenities.
Outdoor social gatherings are still limited to 100 people and outdoor capacity limits at nightclubs remain in place.
Other regulatory changes include removing a requirement that vehicles stay two metres apart at drive-in or drive-thru venues.
The province also said Thursday it is extending a temporary wage increase for more than 150,000 publicly funded personal support workers until the end of March.
The boost of between two and three dollars an hour was introduced last October, and was due to expire at the end of the month.
The province brought in the raise in an effort to attract new employees and retain existing ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. The province said the extension will cost $373 million.
Eligible workers in home and community care and long-term care have had their wages boosted by $3, as have people providing personal and direct support for children, community and social services.
Personal support workers in hospitals have a temporary $2 per hour raise.
Also, an Ontario doctor who was barred from issuing medical exemptions for COVID-19 vaccines has now had her licence suspended.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario says it has suspended Dr. Rochagne Kilian's certificate of registration.
It said the move was made under legislation that allows it to issue such orders where there is evidence to support that patients would otherwise be exposed to risk of harm or injury.
The college's public records list Kilian as a family doctor in Owen Sound.
A Brampton lawyer allegedly connected to fugitive Ryan Wedding was granted bail Tuesday morning by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
Rankin Inlet hamlet councillors recently passed a motion that has had them avoid drinking alcohol for the 12 days leading up to Christmas, with the goal of setting a positive example for the community.
Jason Jacques says he learned a lot about the importance of choosing his words carefully in his first few months as the interim parliamentary budget officer (PBO).
Durham police say a man is dead after suffering multiple stab wounds in Oshawa Tuesday morning.
An internal review of technical outages that caused significant delays at airports and international land borders this fall has exposed critical flaws with the Canada Border Services Agency's IT services.
Two people are in life-threatening condition after being pulled from a house fire in Scarborough Tuesday morning, according to Toronto Fire Services.
Whenever the door opens at the British Grenadier Bookshop, proprietor Steve Douglas doesn’t know who is going to walk through.
A northeastern Ontario potato farmer says he’s shipping more bags of potatoes to southern Ontario to make up for waning demand.
Halifax’s registry of rental properties is now available to the public online, showing what HRM staff believe are the “bulk” of rentals in the city.
A New Brunswick tenant says he’s being pushed out of his rented bungalow as retribution for complaining about his landlord, but his landlord says she’s the victim of an unfair tenancy tribunal ruling that is preventing her from using the unit to house family.
Snow and freezing rain could affect morning commutes on Tuesday, according to a special weather statement issued by Environment Canada.
Daniel Jolivet, 68, had his first taste of freedom this weekend after spending the last 33 years behind bars.
Peguis First Nation is suing former chief Glenn Hudson over allegations he failed to act in the best interest of the band and financially benefitted from breaches of duty — including claims that he enriched himself, his family and supporters.