Category Archives: Ontario/Quebec
Ontario Premier warns of ‘turbulent waters’ ahead in fight against COVID-19
TORONTO — Premier Doug Ford warned that "turbulent waters" are ahead in the fight against COVID-19 on Sunday as Ontario set yet another single-day high for new diagnoses. He said the health-care system is "on the brink" of being overwhelmed as
Ontario teachers’ unions want government to develop benchmarks for school plan
TORONTO — Ontario's four major teachers' unions say they want the government to establish specific benchmarks that would trigger moves to in-person or virtual learning. They say that needs to be part of a provincial plan for the safe return of
Quebec cancels high school ministerial exams, announces tutoring program
MONTREAL — Quebec's education minister says the province is cancelling ministerial exams for high school students and will put out a call for qualified teaching personnel and education students to join a new tutoring program to be launched in the
Quebec defends decision to reopen schools despite imposing provincewide 8 p.m. curfew
MONTREAL — Quebec on Friday defended its decision to reopen schools despite soaring COVID-19 infections and related hospitalizations, with one public health official saying classrooms aren't the primary drivers of transmission. The government announced...
Ontario lockdown may not lift at the end of January: Ford
TORONTO — Ontario's current lockdown may be extended and "extreme" new measures could be put in place if skyrocketing COVID-19 rates do not come down, the government said Friday as daily infections hit a new high. Premier Doug Ford appealed to
Bitter fight by Ontario correctional officers to form own union fizzles
TORONTO — A bid by disaffected Ontario correctional officers to form their own union has fizzled after a bitter campaign to win the hearts and cards of thousands of front-line jail workers. Despite help from a Quebec-based labour organization, the six-...
Ontario government didn’t replenish PPE stockpiles before COVID-19: LTC commission
Ontario faced a shortage of personal protective equipment at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in part because it did not replenish its stockpiles over the previous years, an independent commission examining the impact of the health crisis on long-ter...
Education said key in overcoming health-care worker opposition to COVID-19 vaccine
TORONTO — A consensus appears to have developed that educating reluctant health-care workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is better than trying to force them to get the shots. While most of those on the pandemic front lines are eager to
Schools in southern Ontario staying closed to in-person learning until Jan. 25
TORONTO — All schools in southern Ontario will remain closed for in-person learning until Jan. 25, a move the government said was needed to protect students and staff from surging rates of COVID-19. The province's top doctor said Thursday that student...
Quebec reports 2,519 new COVID-19 cases and 74 deaths, a day after curfew announced
MONTREAL — Quebec is reporting 2,519 new COVID-19 infections, one day after Premier Francois Legault announced he will impose a four-week curfew to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Health officials are also reporting 74 more deaths attributed...