According to Toronto Public Health reports released on April 23 there have been 1,203 total reported resident cases of COVID-19, 142 confirmed staff cases, and 139 confirmed virus-related deaths in long-term care homes (LTCH) across the GTA, and the death toll has begun to creep up in midtown and North York. On April 23, staff
Toronto real estate activity dropped 69 per cent over the past couple weeks thanks to COVID-19 measures, according to the latest results from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board released this morning. Sales during the first 17 days of April are down by 69 per cent, according to TRREB, when compared to the same period
As Ontarians are starting to receive news that the hard work in flattening the COVID-19 pandemic curve is working, we check in with Dr. Phil Shin. The chief of medicine and medical director of critical care at one of the country’s top hospitals, North York General Hospital (NYGH), discusses what makes this virus such a
Several frontline workers at grocery stores across the city have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In response, Toronto Public Health is working with stores to ensure facilities are clean and safe for employees and shoppers to return. Since the outbreak, many stores have upped their social distancing and cleaning protocols, and communications with
The Ontario government said the province has hit its peak of COVID-19 cases earlier than predicted and is expecting a lower number of cases this month than earlier models anticipated, yet the virus still remains a “clear and present danger,” according to Ontario Premier Doug Ford. The announcement was made during a status update on
Drake is offering fans the chance to win a first class trip to Los Angeles in his private plane for the All in Challenge for COVID-19 relief. The winner will receive round-trip airfare on Air Drake for themselves and seven guests, plus four tickets to a Drake concert nearest to their hometown, an OVO and
As Toronto settles in to its new norm, many residents across the city are coming together to create heartwarming bonds and strong community vibes. From sharing sourdough recipes and pantry items to making noise in support of frontline health workers and creating care packages for those in need; it’s clear that COVID-19 has brought us
Restaurant shutdowns across the city have taken a significant toll on residents — leaving many without jobs, income or a way to pay rent. But with more people cooking at home, one somewhat unexpected consequence has also come to light. According to Toronto’s Fire Chief, Matthew Pegg, “working fires” (fires where legitimate, physical fire is
Premier Doug Ford says he is launching an action plan aimed at containing outbreaks of COVID-19 in long-term care homes across the province. The announcement came after 114 outbreaks were confirmed, representing 14 per cent of all long-term care facilities in Ontario. Eatonville Care Centre in Toronto’s west end has reported 25 deaths due to
Mayor John Tory confirmed that discussions are taking place on how Toronto could eventually be reopened in “an orderly fashion,” following a shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview with CP24 on Tuesday, the mayor said he’d participate in a lengthy briefing on the city’s recovery plan this afternoon. He says the plan
The luxury winter brand will pivot to creating PPE at all of its manufacturing facilities. Canada Goose has announced that they’ll be increasing production of personal protective equipment (PPE) to help frontline healthcare workers across Canada to continue their work fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. The outerwear company will reopen its eight domestic production facilities
The public health risk posed by the COVID-19 outbreak in Toronto has forced the city to put stringent safety measures in place. Residents have been instructed to follow the guidelines, or face the consequences — which include staggering fines and even jail time. Toronto Police are out ticketing anyone found in violation of the city’s
A case of COVID-19 has hit Seaton House, the largest and busiest homeless shelter in Toronto, and advocates are calling on the city to take immediate action. On Tuesday, Dr. Eileen de Villa, medical officer of health for the City of Toronto, confirmed that an individual at Seaton House tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
COVID-19 is changing, as is our reaction to it. In part one of our series, we looked at the basics of the pandemic. As we approach the end of our first month of drastic changes, we check in with Dr. Joshua Tepper, the president and chief executive officer of North York General Hospital. He shares
The Toronto Public Library (TPL) is going above and beyond to support efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. On Monday, TPL announced a partnership with various GTA food banks to set up food distribution from library branches across the city. We’ve partnered with the North York Harvest Food Bank, Daily Bread Food
Although both the Canadian chief medical officer of health and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have asked cottagers to stay at home for now, it might not be enough to stop those with second homes in Muskoka and other areas from heading up en masse. There are a few mixed messages at work, and some consistency
The shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) in Toronto hospitals as well as early hoarding attempts made by the public has drastically reduced the commercial availability of face masks. And yet, if you peek out your window in the city these days, you’ll likely notice that more people than ever seem to be wearing masks.
Premier Doug Ford is closing more sectors of the economy following the stark and sobering numbers revealed to the people of Ontario at Friday’s press conference. Starting on Sat., April 14 at 11:59 p.m. additional workplaces will be forced to close across the province. Industrial construction will stop and only necessary infrastructure projects, such as
Like so many industries across the city, the hotel business has been devastated by the recent impacts of COVID-19. In an effort to stop the spread of the virus, travel has come to a grinding halt. As a result, some hotels have been forced to temporarily close their doors, while others are adapting to the
Ontario has published a new open dataset that reveals the gender, age, and location of every confirmed case of COVID-19 in the province. As of Thursday morning, the number of confirmed cases in Ontario has risen to 2,793, with 53 deaths. Now, thanks to the new open database, people across the province can grasp a
While Torontonians city-wide are practising social distancing and self-isolation to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it’s important to remember that the ability to social distance and self-isolate is a privilege. Toronto’s medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, reminded us all during her press conference on April 1 that individuals experiencing homelessness are one
In a bid to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Ontario (and encourage the public to either stay at home or practice proper social distancing), police officers across the province have been granted temporary power to obtain identifying information of Ontarians violating the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA). The move—approved by the Ontario
The Ontario government has decided to prolong public school closures until at least May to help fight the spread of COVID-19. Instead of reopening on April 6 as was originally planned, public schools will remain closed until May 1 for teachers and May 4 for students. However, the closure could be extended further if necessary
Ryerson University is donating gloves, gowns and goggles to health care workers on the front lines of Toronto’s fight against COVID-19. A team within the university’s chemistry and biology department rounded up 79,000 nitrile gloves, goggles and gowns to donate to St. Michael’s Hospital, Sunnybrook Hospital and Women’s College Hospital last week. “I was listening
The shortage of medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers has been a major problem during the COVID-19 pandemic, but some of Toronto’s 3D printing labs have stepped up to help fill the gap in supplies. One of the most significant efforts is taking place at Ryerson University, where the Creative Technology
