COVID-19 Government and International Response: May 1, 2020

WHAT TO KNOW

Global COVID-19 cases have reached 3,372,285, up from 3,275,783 yesterday at 3:30 p.m. Canada is now reporting 54,784 cases, up from 53,013 cases of COVID-19 yesterday. Ontario reports 16,608 cases, up from 16,187 cases yesterday. The province has now tested 294,054 individuals and reports 11,975 tests are currently under investigation. More information here.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced that Tiff Macklem will be the Bank of Canada’s next governor beginning on June 3. Macklem was a senior deputy governor of the Bank of Canada from July 2010 until May 2014. He was also Associate Deputy Minister at the Department of Finance from 2007 to 2010, serving as Canada’s representative at the G7, G20 and Financial Stability Board.

FEDERAL

The Prime Minister’s news conference focused on the government’s assault weapons ban.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland spoke with the premiers to discuss the evolving COVID-19 situation. First Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the joint statement on the shared public health approach to support restarting the economy, released earlier this week. They spoke about the plans they are putting forward in each of their respective jurisdictions to restart the economy. First Ministers acknowledged the importance of doing this through a gradual and phased approach, based on the advice of public health experts. More information here.

PROVINCIAL

The Ontario government will allow certain businesses and workplaces to reopen as long as they comply with strict public health measures and operate safely during the COVID-19 outbreak. Those permitted to start up include seasonal businesses and some essential construction projects. The Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, provided general recommendations on how the openings of businesses and workplaces could be implemented to support safe operations, including strict adherence to health and safety requirements. A list of the types of businesses and additional information here.

Through an emergency order passed today, the Ontario government is taking steps to defer a portion of Global Adjustment charges for industrial and commercial electricity consumers that do not participate in the Regulated Price Plan for the period starting from April 2020. This initiative is intended to provide companies with temporary immediate relief on their monthly electricity bills in April, May and June 2020. The government intends to keep this emergency order in place until May 31, 2020, and subsequent regulatory amendments would, if approved, provide for the deferral of these charges for June 2020 as well. More information here.

Today, the Ontario government issued new temporary emergency orders under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to support the immediate needs of the province’s hospitals and health care workers so they can better manage critical health care human resources during COVID-19. More information here.

Yesterday the government announced it was offering a new free 511 app which will provide truck drivers immediate access to the information they need to stay safe, fed and rested while delivering essential goods across the province during the COVID-19 outbreak. More information here.

TORONTO

Mayor Tory proclaimed May 1 as First Responders Day and Doctors Day and is encouraging residents to shine a light at 9 p.m. to show appreciation for our city’s doctors who continue to care for our city, keeping us all safe. The Toronto sign will also glow blue at 9 p.m.

INTERNATIONAL