COVID-19 Update #23

New as of April 7

Ontario Calls on all Health Care Workers to Help Fight COVID-19
Province Launches Online Portal to Match Available Health Care Workers with Employers

The Ontario government is taking further action to stop the spread of COVID-19 by actively recruiting health care workers to increase the frontline capacity of hospitals, clinics, and assessment centres. Today, the province is launching a new online tool that will help match skilled frontline workers with employers.

The new Health Workforce Matching Portal will enable health care providers with a range of experience to join the province’s response to COVID-19. Those providers include retired or non-active health care professionals, internationally educated health care professionals, students, and volunteers with health care experience. The portal will efficiently match the availability and skillsets of frontline health care workers to the employers in need of assistance to perform a variety of public health functions, such as case and contact management.

Employers and interested health care professionals can visit the portal here and create a profile. Once registered, professionals can add their availability and employers can enter their request for support. Registrants will receive an email notification if matched.

On April 1, Ontario issued a new emergency order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, to enhance the public health units’ human resources capacity and support their ongoing fight against COVID-19.
 

Ontario Helping Indigenous Communities Stop the Spread of COVID-19
Over $37 million committed to support outbreak planning, prevention and mitigation

As part of Ontario’s Action Plan: Response to COVID-19, the Ontario government is investing over $37 million to support outbreak planning, prevention and mitigation efforts to ensure the health and well-being of Indigenous people and communities — particularly those in remote and far-northern regions.

The funding will respond to the unique needs of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people and families across the province. The total of $37.8 million includes:

  • $16.4 million from the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs to provide emergency funds for food, household goods, critical supplies, transportation, and support and care, responsive services and supports for urban Indigenous people, self-isolation facilities in remote and northern communities, prevention and awareness efforts, and pandemic planning;
  • $10 million from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to support Indigenous communities and agencies in responding to the needs of vulnerable children, families and elders during the outbreak;
  • $7.4 million from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to help social service providers, charities and non-profits delivering critical housing services to Indigenous people living off-reserve; and
  • $4 million from the Ministry of Transportation to ensure continued service to remote and northern airports, enabling essential goods and services to continue reaching isolated communities.

In addition to this funding, the government is working with the Indigenous business community to assess how to address the impacts of COVID-19 on Indigenous businesses, economies and workers. 

The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) owns and operates 29 airports, with 26 serving remote First Nations communities. These airports provide a vital link to Indigenous communities, enabling shipments of essential supplies, such as food, fuel and water, and connecting essential services, including health care, education and social services. The ministry will work cooperatively with Indigenous communities wishing to enact their own measures related to the COVID-19 outbreak, including consideration of requests for the full or partial closures of MTO airports.

Link is now LIVE To Apply: Ontario Government Supports Families in Response to COVID-19
Province Providing One-time Financial Assistance During School and Child Care Closures

The Ontario government is offering direct financial support to parents while Ontario schools and child care centres remain closed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The new Support for Families initiative offers a one-time payment of $200 per child 0 to 12 years of age, and $250 for those 0 to 21 years of age with special needs.

The announcement was made today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education.

Families can complete a simple online application at Ontario’s Support for Families web page to access this financial support. Parents already receiving Support for Parents payments through direct deposit will be automatically eligible for this financial support and do not need to submit a new application.

Through this initiative the government is providing over $300 million in relief to parents across Ontario as part of Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19.

April 7, 2020 – Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health

As of 4 pm yesterday, OPH is investigating 403 lab-confirmed cases in the community and ten outbreaks in institutions. That’s 33 new cases since yesterday. We also have 101 resolved cases.

The number of people hospitalized and in intensive care also changes daily. There are currently 36 people in hospital (up from 30 yesterday) and 14 of them are in ICU (no change from yesterday). No new deaths have been reported as of 4 pm yesterday.

As a reminder, we have added detailed information on our OPH website regarding cases. If you have specific questions about case counts, number of people hospitalized and other demographic information please go to OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Coronavirus.

If you look at the epidemiological curve of Ottawa residents with confirmed COVID-19, you’ll note that the number of daily cases is slowing down. While this is hopeful, it would be premature to conclude that the curve is flattening and that COVID-19 is circulating less in our community. Testing people for COVID-19 is an important strategy to confirm how many cases are in our community.  In conversation with our health system partners, we know that the Brewer Arena Assessment Centre has capacity to test more people and we are encouraging people to make use of this service.  

Currently the highest priority for testing, includes:

  • Health care workers (HCW) and staff who work in health care facilities
  • Residents and staff in long-term care facilities, retirement homes, and other institutional settings (e.g., correctional facilities, homeless shelters)
  • Hospitalized patients admitted with respiratory symptoms (new or exacerbated)
  • Members of remote, isolated, rural and/or indigenous communities

We also strongly encourage the following people to also be tested for COVID-19:

  • Close contacts of confirmed or probable cases
  • Individuals (e.g., children, partners, or other household members) living with HCWs or with staff who work in health care facilities
  • Returning international travelers who seek medical attention
  • Critical infrastructure workers – this includes grocery stores, food services, maintenance and transportation workers, and utilities. See the full list of Ontario’s essential workplaces

There is now a new online portal to access COVID-19 test results directly from the provincial laboratory system. This portal was launched on Sunday by the Government of Ontario and offers fast and secure access to test results on your computer and mobile device.

Yesterday, Dr. Theresa Tam announced that the Special Advisory Committee on COVID-19 has come to a consensus that wearing a non-medical mask, even with no symptoms, is a measure you can take to protect those around you in situations where physical distancing is difficult to maintain such as when using public transit or at the grocery store.

In addition to the importance of testing and the use of non-medical masks, my message today is clear: It is critical that we continue to practice physical distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Ottawa.

We know that COVID-19 is a heavy virus spread through droplets. A non-medical mask can reduce the chance of your respiratory droplets coming into contact with others or landing on surfaces.

I want to emphasize that wearing a non-medical mask in the community has not been proven to protect the person wearing it – it is an additional way to protect others around you.

We have updated a section on our website devoted specifically to frequently asked questions about masks. Please visit OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Coronavirus for more information.

With many religious holidays coming up such as Easter, Passover and Ramadan this may feel like an even harder time for many to practice physical distancing. These holidays are often spent gathering with family and friends. Residents must continue to find ways to connect using technology during these celebrations. I urge you not to gather in person, even with extended family outside your household, as we still need everyone’s efforts to flatten the curve.

As we enter spring, we have had some beautiful weather and the days will continue to get warmer. I continue to encourage residents who are not ill to go outside and get some fresh air. You can spend time in your yard or walking around your neighbourhood. Go for a walk, run or bike ride through your neighbourood park. But you must ensure you are practicing physical distancing at all times and that you are limiting your contacts to household members.  You must not rest or play on structures or gather with others in parks as this could increase your exposure to the virus. Visit ottawa.ca/recreation for more information and guidance.

Finally, please watch this video for my message to residents about how we can continue to practice physical distancing. We’re all going through this together and we will see the other side of the curve.
 

April 6 – Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches (A New Testing Care Centre opened in the West End)

As of 4 pm yesterday, OPH is investigating 370 lab-confirmed cases in the community and seven outbreaks in institutions. That’s 48 new cases since our last report on Saturday. We also have 56 resolved cases.

The number of people hospitalized and in intensive care also changes daily. There are currently 30 people in hospital and 14 of them are in ICU.

Sadly, six people now have died in total. Of these, five were over the age of 65 years and one was 45-64 years old. Three males and three females.

As a reminder, we have added some of this detailed information on our website if you have specific questions about case counts, number of people hospitalized and other demographic information please go to OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Coronavirus.

I know that residents and media are interested in local modelling data.  I was happy to have Dr. Manuel from the Ottawa Hospital join the media availability last week. We are working with him and his team to make further data available to the public later this week.

The decision to extend the closure of City facilities and services until the end of June was not taken lightly. This is a crucial time in our efforts to plank the curve. Now more than ever, it’s important for residents to stay home except for essential trips out of the home and to practice physical distancing at all times when they do venture out.

These actions make a difference. There would be more COVID-19 infections in our community now if residents were not doing their part.  Together, we are making sure hospitals are able to provide life-saving care.

We recognize that this is not easy. The days can feel quite long when staying home. You may be feeling lonely or anxious. I encourage you to find ways to continue to connect with your friends, extended family or neighbours through technology.

The Distress Centre of Ottawa is also available to provide support. If you need someone to talk to, you can call 613-238-3311 24/7 to connect with someone.

We also recognize that for many in our community, financial pressures are making this situation much more difficult. All levels of government are taking steps to help in this regard. Please visit Ottawa.ca for information on these measures and for a list of resources.

Finally, I wanted to share that the COVID-19 Care Clinic opened today in Ottawa’s West end, under the leadership of the Queensway Carleton Hospital and the Champlain Health Region Incident Command. The clinic involves the City of Ottawa, CHEO, primary care physicians, community pediatricians and the regional COVID-19 planning team.  It is equipped to do basic diagnostic tests, such as chest X-rays and lab tests. It is located at 595 Moodie Drive and will be operating Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

Residents should go to the COVID-19 care clinics if they have escalating symptoms of respiratory illness, including a fever or worsening cough and flu-like symptoms, and they are in need of medical attention. Residents do not need to be tested before going to the care clinic.

The care clinic will help people get the treatment they require for respiratory illness, while helping keep emergency departments for emergencies.

I want to thank everyone for doing their part to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This is easier when we recognize we are all in it together. We all make a difference, when we all practice physical distancing. 

City extends current COVID-19-related facility closures and suspension of in-person services until June 30

To continue our efforts to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 virus, the City of Ottawa is extending the closure of all City-managed facilities and the suspension of in-person services until June 30, 2020.

The closures of the City-managed facilities include:

  • All recreation and cultural facilities – including recreation complexes, community centres, arenas, swimming pools, theatres, and museums
  • Public access to administrative buildings, including City Hall
  • All City parks and amenities: ball diamonds, courts, skateboard parks, play equipment and play structures, enclosed dog-park areas, and sports fields (including those at City recreation facilities)
  • Ottawa Public Library facilities – including the bookmobile
  • City-managed public spaces at Lansdowne – including the parks, Aberdeen Pavilion and Horticulture building

The City will also continue to suspend in-person services, which include:

  • Temporary closure of all City client service centres
  • The Provincial Offences Act courthouse, located at 100 Constellation Drive, Nepean, will be closed until May 29, 2020 (to be reassessed thereafter)
  • The closure of municipal child-care centres, with the exception of emergency child care for health care and frontline essential service workers
  • Building Code Services counters
  • Rooming house inspections
  • Taxi inspections
  • All hearings for the Animal Control Tribunal and the Property Standards and License Appeals Committee
  • Interior noise meter readings between 7 am and 11 pm
  • The Spay/Neuter Clinic at 26 Concourse Gate – clients with previously scheduled appointments will be contacted to reschedule for a later date
  • The Business Licensing Centre at 735 Industrial Avenue
  • All front counter services for business licenses will be suspended. Clients can call 3-1-1
  • The Chief Licensing Inspector will also exercise delegated authority to extend renewal dates to be implemented for licensing categories expiring in March and April (to be reassessed thereafter)

The altering of some services will also continue:

  • Complaints for unauthorized parking on private property will now require new electronic procedures for proof of authority.
  • Only interior Property Standards complaints where immediate health and safety risks exist, or a vital services complaint, will be reviewed.
  • Ontario Works claimants do not need to drop off any documents, including income reporting statements. Those documents can be given the case worker at a later date.
  • People cannot visit the Employment and Social Services offices. They can apply by phone or online. Offices are operating on reduced hours, weekdays from 10 am to 3 pm.

Acquiring services or doing transactions online or by phone

While our counter services remain suspended, residents can acquire some services and complete payments and registrations online or by phone.

Residents can go to myservice.ottawa.ca to pay water bills and your interim property taxes. If you do not have an account, registration is simple – just sign-up with your email address. Once registered, you’ll need your account or property roll number to pay your bill.

City bills have other payment options besides the myservice.ottawa.ca accounts, which include:

  • Paying by credit or debit card online at ottawa.ca
  • Paying through your financial institution by creating a payee number on your institution’s mobile app or through an ATM machine
  • Paying by phone with your financial institution
  • Sending by mail

Residents can access many other services online as well. You do not need to come in-person to a Client Service Centre if you want to:

  • Register or renew a pet registration
  • Apply or renew an open air fire permit – Reminder – A city-wide burn ban has been placed by Ottawa Fire Services since April 1. All open-air fires are prohibited in the City of Ottawa until the ban is lifted.
  • Pay a parking or traffic ticket
  • Look up extension or reopening applications
  • Apply for a Food Premise Business License
  • Sign up for future recreation programs
  • Load and manage a Presto Card

Council and committee meetings

Adhering to the Province’s direction of limiting any gatherings to five people or less, in-person Committee and Council meetings have been cancelled. Such meetings, as warranted, will be held electronically until further notice.

You can watch the live City Council meetings on the Ottawa City Council YouTube page(link is external). The meetings will also be broadcast live on RogersTV Cable 22 and live streamed on the RogersTV website.(link is external)

Be sure to visit ottawa.ca/covid19 or call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-9656) for complete and up-to-date information on closures, impacted services, and support and services. You can also connect with us through Facebook(link is external)Twitter(link is external) and Instagram(link is external).

The City of Ottawa thanks all residents and businesses for their patience, kindness and resilience in doing their part to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. We are a community pulling together by staying apart.



Prime Minister announces production of more medical supplies and equipment in Canada

Canadian businesses and manufacturers are stepping up in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government of Canada is working with companies across the country to make sure that we have the medical supplies and equipment needed to keep Canadians safe and healthy.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced further progress under Canada’s Plan to Mobilize Industry to fight COVID‑19 that will help provide vital, made‑in‑Canada protective gear and medical equipment to respond to the outbreak.

The Government of Canada is building a secure, domestic supply of needed items to protect frontline health workers as they fight this global pandemic. Nearly 5,000 Canadian companies have offered their expertise and capacity as we work together on projects that include:

  • Purchasing made-in-Canada ventilators from Thornhill Medical, CAE, Ventilators for Canadians, and StarFish Medical and other manufacturing partners, including Linamar, through an accelerated process. The Government of Canada is working with these companies to produce up to 30,000 ventilators. These purchases will help secure increased domestic capacity in producing these life-saving machines.
  • Working with one of Canada’s Nobel Prize-winning researchers, Dr. Art McDonald, who is leading a team of scientists at national laboratories TRIUMF, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, and SNOLAB to develop an easy-to-produce ventilator using off-the-shelf, easily accessible parts. The goal is to develop a ventilator model to meet current needs that can be constructed quickly and reliably in Canada.
  • Using innovative alternative materials, which have been authorized through Health Canada’s expedited regulatory process, to augment the supply of medical gowns. Stanfield’s Limited will use a fabric developed by Intertape Polymer Group to supply protective medical gowns. The Government of Canada has signed a purchase order with Stanfield’s, which will use its Canadian manufacturing platform to fulfill the order. The government has also signed a letter of intent to support AutoLiv as it works to repurpose material traditionally used for air bags to provide additional fabric for medical gowns. Using these alternative materials will significantly increase the number of medical gowns that can be made in Canada.
  • Establishing and securing new supply chains to produce medical gowns from new Canadian sources. The Government of Canada has signed letters of intent with a total of 22 apparel manufacturers, including Arc’teryx and Canada Goose, to produce needed medical gowns for Canadian health care workers using newly-sourced Canadian material.
  • Purchasing and producing masks to protect our health care workers. The Government of Canada has placed orders for millions of surgical masks from various companies, including Medicom, Surgo Surgical Supply, and Breathe Medical. The government is also supporting Medicom’s work to increase its capacity to produce tens of millions more surgical and N95 masks per year right here in Canada.
  • Purchasing hand sanitizer from Canadian companies, including Fluid Energy Group Ltd. and Irving Oil. The Government of Canada is also supporting the Hand Sanitizer Manufacturing Exchange established by Cosmetics Alliance Canada, the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association, and Spirits Canada. In addition, the government is working to increase hand sanitizer supply by matchmaking companies, and by identifying and guiding new producers through the licencing and procurement process. In the last three weeks, Health Canada has expedited the authorization of more than 400 new hand sanitizer products to help limit the spread of COVID‑19.

Complementary to these domestic efforts, the Government of Canada is also working through over 22,000 submissions to Public Services and Procurement Canada from companies interested or able to sell to Canada. All efforts are being made to secure contracts and deliveries as quickly as possible.

The Government of Canada welcomes the cooperation of all companies who have offered to re-tool, repurpose, and innovate to fight COVID‑19. Our partnerships with Canadian industry in particular will help us produce needed supplies and equipment domestically, provide Canadians with the fastest possible access to safe and effective health products, strengthen our health care system, and better protect the health and safety of all Canadians.



Federal Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) – Canadians can now apply

It will provide a taxable benefit of $2,000 a month for up to 4 months to eligible workers who have lost their income due to COVID-19. 

There are two ways to apply:

  1. Online
  2. Over the phone with an automated phone service:
    1-800-959-2019 or 1-800-959-2041

Both of these services are available 21 hours a day, 7 days a week. Both services are closed from 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. (Eastern time) for maintenance.

Canadians who still have jobs but are working 10 hours or less due to the pandemic, such as gig economy, students or contract workers, as well as those who are working but earning less money than they would if they received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), such as long-term care workers, will soon be able to qualify for federal assistance.



Ontario has created a new self-assessment tool
If you think you have 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has it, use this self-assessment to help determine if you need to seek further care. Visit here.



If you require help in Ottawa South, please visit our website for Community links and contacts.


 

Ottawa Public Health
For the latest updates, please click here.

Government of Ontario
Every day at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.  ETthe Province of Ontario’s novel coronavirus (COVID-19) web page will be updated with the most up-to-date information including the status of cases in Ontario.

Government of Canada
For the latest COVID-19 updates, please click here.
For the latest on Employment and Social Development changes for employees and employers, click here.

Find out about the current reported scams related to COVID-19.

Learn how to protect yourself when banking online.

Know what to do if you’re a victim of fraud.