City Council extends the declaration of the State of Emergency in Toronto

Today, Toronto City Council unanimously voted to extend Mayor John Tory’s State of Emergency declaration in the city of Toronto until the COVID-19 municipal emergency has ended, in accordance with advice from Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health and the Office of Emergency Management.

This includes extending the new physical distancing emergency bylaws, to retain physical distancing regulations in parks and public squares for the duration of the COVID-19 municipal emergency.

The declaration of a municipal emergency is part of the City’s ongoing efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 and this extension will ensure the municipal government can continue to respond quickly to the emergency, administer other necessary City business, plan for recovery and focus on protecting the health of all residents.

It has been just over one month since Mayor Tory declared a State of Emergency in the Toronto. At the time, there were 304 cases of COVID-19 in the city and most cases were traceable to travel or close contact with the virus.

Over the past month, the City has acted and responded quickly to the pandemic, working together with other levels of government, agencies, corporations, businesses and community organizations to ensure the City is best positioned to stop the spread of COVID-19, while providing support to those who need it most.

In extending this declaration, the City strongly encourages residents to continue staying home as much as possible, keeping their distance from one another, protecting the vulnerable and reducing the impact our health care system.

The City’s website is updated daily with the latest health advice and information about City services, social supports and economic recovery measures. Check https://www.toronto.ca/covid-19/ for answers to common questions before contacting the Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Hotline or 311.

Quotes:
“I am proud of how the City has responded to this ongoing emergency. In the face of these challenges, great work has been done quickly by Dr. Eileen de Villa and her public health team, the emergency operations centre led by Chief Matthew Pegg, and staff across each city division, under the leadership of our City Manager Chris Murray. In responding to this emergency, we’ve seen the very best of public service, with staff working tirelessly to ensure residents remains safe and critical services continue during these uncertain times. I want to thank the hundreds of thousands of Toronto residents who have done the right and the responsible thing and helped us in this ongoing war to flatten the curve and defeat this virus. You have saved lives. And by continuing to do the right thing and stay home as much as possible, you are continuing to save lives during this emergency.”
– Mayor John Tory

Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture, and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit http://www.toronto.ca or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/CityofToronto, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cityofto.

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