nationalobserver--2020-04-27--Let's come out of COVID-19 with a new relationship for nature and people

COVID-19 has brought us unprecedented health and economic challenges .
It will test the resolve and resiliency of each Canadian and our nation .
Crises have a way of unveiling truths , flaws and misconceptions in any society .
Our immediate crisis is reinforcing the importance of family , community , health care and food security .
But at the root of the current crisis , and fundamental to the solution , is our relationships with the other species that share our planet .
Earth Day is an opportunity to reflect on how we value all species , including our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ natural world .
The weeks and months following Earth Day are a chance to turn that reflection into change .
The good news amidst the current crisis is that while society adapts to a new normal , nature is continuing to provide us with critical services .
Wetlands are filtering drinking water and holding back floods .
The roots of willows and cottonwoods are binding soil and keeping it from eroding along rivers and streams .
Budding urban trees will soon ramp up their service of purifying air and shading our streets and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s critical role in our well-being .
And that we need nature ’ s services now more than ever .
• Canada will learn Covid-19 lessons from U.S .
Many of the fruits and vegetables grown in Canada are pollinated by non-native honeybees that are shipped around the world .
As these shipments are stalled , the role of local native pollinators has perhaps never been more important .
While native bees , butterflies , beetles and other insects may never fully replace honeybees on our farms , their conservation and restoration in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future food security .
Perhaps the most important service that nature provides is how contact with the natural world can benefit us .
There is clear evidence that spending time in nature improves our well-being .
Many people are practising safe physical distancing outdoors .
But even just looking at pictures of wildlife , virtually exploring nature and making plans to visit natural areas once it is safe to do so can help to nurture our mental health .
There ’ s little question that COVID-19 was transmitted to people in wildlife markets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal trade of wild animals , including endangered species , will support conservation and reduce the probability of future outbreaks .
But the loss of nature and disease is not just limited to foreign places .
In North America , the rapid spread of Lyme disease has been linked to human-caused alterations to food webs and habitats as well as climate change .
The fact is , biodiversity loss and climate change don ’ t just result in a loss of nature — they create uncertainty .
Uncertainty that threatens our security , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society into dark and uncomfortable corners .
The health and security of nature are the health and security of all of us .
If there is a silver lining in our current situation , it may be that this time of physical distancing represents an opportunity to renew our connections to the people we love , our communities and to nature .
In every community across Canada , birds are still migrating , wildflowers are blooming and many animals are preparing for their next generation .
This time offers an opportunity to learn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country and communities .
If you have a backyard , it ’ s an opportunity to explore how nature can be welcomed back in the place you live .
Nature is the foundation of our society .
Once we emerge into a post-COVID world , we will have an opportunity to rebuild this foundation .
In the south , wildlife and habitats can be restored , while in our northlands , we can conserve some of the planet ’ s last wilderness .
Caring for nature is caring for ourselves .
`` Biodiversity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just result in a loss of nature — they create uncertainty . ''
Discovering , knowing and sharing your relationship with nature is critical .
Use this time to connect with nature .
Help your children to find this connection and a love for the natural world .
This relationship will change you .
And you can change the world .

COVID-19 has brought us unprecedented health and economic challenges. It will test the resolve and resiliency of each Canadian and our nation. Crises have a way of unveiling truths, flaws and misconceptions in any society. Our immediate crisis is reinforcing the importance of family, community, health care and food security. But at the root of the current crisis, and fundamental to the solution, is our relationships with the other species that share our planet. Earth Day is an opportunity to reflect on how we value all species, including our own, and our connections to the natural world. The weeks and months following Earth Day are a chance to turn that reflection into change. The good news amidst the current crisis is that while society adapts to a new normal, nature is continuing to provide us with critical services. Wetlands are filtering drinking water and holding back floods. The roots of willows and cottonwoods are binding soil and keeping it from eroding along rivers and streams. Budding urban trees will soon ramp up their service of purifying air and shading our streets and homes. All point to nature’s critical role in our well-being. And that we need nature’s services now more than ever.
Many of the fruits and vegetables grown in Canada are pollinated by non-native honeybees that are shipped around the world. As these shipments are stalled, the role of local native pollinators has perhaps never been more important. While native bees, butterflies, beetles and other insects may never fully replace honeybees on our farms, their conservation and restoration in our agricultural ecosystems will help to strengthen future food security. Perhaps the most important service that nature provides is how contact with the natural world can benefit us. There is clear evidence that spending time in nature improves our well-being. Many people are practising safe physical distancing outdoors. But even just looking at pictures of wildlife, virtually exploring nature and making plans to visit natural areas once it is safe to do so can help to nurture our mental health. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions There’s little question that COVID-19 was transmitted to people in wildlife markets. Growing calls to shut down the illegal trade of wild animals, including endangered species, will support conservation and reduce the probability of future outbreaks. But the loss of nature and disease is not just limited to foreign places. In North America, the rapid spread of Lyme disease has been linked to human-caused alterations to food webs and habitats as well as climate change.


nationalobserver--2020-04-27--Toronto and Vancouver are in a financial freefall, and Ottawa has noticed

The federal government is holding “ ongoing ” conversations with the provinces about how to ensure Canadian cities can maintain key services as their budgets are stretched thin from COVID-19 , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday .
Trudeau said he understood that municipalities are “ absorbing many extra costs ” because of the pandemic .
He said Ottawa was examining how to ensure they have the “ flexibility and tools ” to keep people safe , and services running .
“ Those are conversations that are ongoing with the provinces , ” he said .
The prime minister ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country , including Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart , for emergency federal funding to make up for billions of dollars in lost revenue from things like transit and parking as people stay home and avoid public places to slow the spread of the virus .
A report from the city ’ s finance director earlier in April said Vancouver has closed libraries , recreation centres , and theatres , all of which is leading to a drop in revenue of about $ 4 million to $ 5 million a week .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,500 staff .
While Stewart clarified later that Vancouver has $ 130 million in reserves , he said the bulk of that is being saved for other emergencies .
It is time public # transit received federal support .
Check out this article from CUTA President & CEO , Marco D'Angelo.
# cdntransit # cdnpoli # cdnecon # prioritytransithttps : //t.co/mIPxI0Eenj — CUTA-ACTU ( @ canadiantransit ) April 24 , 2020 Vancouver is far from the only city facing COVID-19 economic hardship : Toronto is losing $ 65 million a week , leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.5 billion this year , according to the Toronto Star .
PM Trudeau says he understands municipalities are “ absorbing many extra costs ” because of the coronavirus , and Ottawa is examining how to ensure they have the “ flexibility and tools ” to maintain key services .
Last week , the Federation of Canadian Municipalities ( FCM ) called for at least $ 10 billion to be given to local governments as a direct allocation , using a formula that combines the federal gas tax fund and ridership numbers for cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds should be needed , it said .
Transit systems are losing $ 400 million per month on average , said the FCM .
It said TransLink in Metro Vancouver is losing $ 75 million each month .
TransLink said April 20 that its ridership was down 83 per cent and it had issued `` temporary layoff notices '' to 1,492 employees .
It said it was also cutting back service levels for its buses , the SkyTrain , the SeaBus , and the West Coast Express , as well as cutting salaries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parking fees and other payments for things like recreational centres are also taking a bite out of budgets .
Mississauga will lose $ 23 million in rec centre fees by the end of June , while Toronto is losing almost $ 17 million every month from lost parking fees , said FCM .
Hiking property taxes isn ’ t a “ viable alternative ” to federal funding , the FCM argued : even with a large 10 per cent property tax hike , Vancouver would still be in the hole by $ 130 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TransLink is facing a $ 400m financial gap # TransLink pic.twitter.com/Mob8EmWmF3 — News from TransLink ( @ TransLinkNews ) April 23 , 2020 Metro Vancouver , an organization that represents 21 municipalities in the area as well as Tsawwassen First Nation , is also calling for more financial support from the federal government , as is Marco D'Angelo , the CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Association .
`` Other modes of transportation , such as airlines , are covered by some sort of government relief .
Other countries have already helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here , that ’ s yet to be the case , '' D'Angelo said Friday .
Cities are the constitutional responsibility of the provinces , something Trudeau reiterated in his comments Monday .
Provinces have been looking at whether cities should be given more powers to deal with cash-flow issues — it is illegal for Vancouver to run a deficit , for example .
On April 16 , B.C .
Municipal Affairs Minister Selina Robinson said cities could run a deficit for the year and balance the books by the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new approach that allows cities to borrow from their reserves with no interest over five years .
But Stewart has called that a “ poison chalice , ” saying the city would be forced into big property tax increases anyway as it works to pay off the debt .

The federal government is holding “ongoing” conversations with the provinces about how to ensure Canadian cities can maintain key services as their budgets are stretched thin from COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday. Trudeau said he understood that municipalities are “absorbing many extra costs” because of the pandemic. He said Ottawa was examining how to ensure they have the “flexibility and tools” to keep people safe, and services running. “Those are conversations that are ongoing with the provinces,” he said. The prime minister’s comments follow a push by mayors across the country, including Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart, for emergency federal funding to make up for billions of dollars in lost revenue from things like transit and parking as people stay home and avoid public places to slow the spread of the virus. http://twitter.com/kennedystewart/status/1253400722135085056 The City of Vancouver is expecting to lose up to $189 million this year, Stewart said this month, a number he added could balloon if property taxes aren’t paid. The mayor released the results of a survey April 12 that found 25 per cent of homeowners couldn’t make their whole tax bill.
“Losing more than half a billion dollars in operating funds in 2020 would devastate the city’s financial position, forcing us to liquefy assets and exhaust every reserve fund we have just to avoid insolvency,” Stewart wrote in a statement. A report from the city’s finance director earlier in April said Vancouver has closed libraries, recreation centres, and theatres, all of which is leading to a drop in revenue of about $4 million to $5 million a week. The city has also temporarily laid off about 1,500 staff. While Stewart clarified later that Vancouver has $130 million in reserves, he said the bulk of that is being saved for other emergencies. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions http://twitter.com/canadiantransit/status/1253766240310607874
TransLink losing $75 million a month Vancouver is far from the only city facing COVID-19 economic hardship: Toronto is losing $65 million a week, leading to a shortfall of at least $1.5 billion this year, according to the Toronto Star. PM Trudeau says he understands municipalities are “absorbing many extra costs” because of the coronavirus, and Ottawa is examining how to ensure they have the “flexibility and tools” to maintain key services. Last week, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) called for at least $10 billion to be given to local governments as a direct allocation, using a formula that combines the federal gas tax fund and ridership numbers for cities with transit systems. No provincial matching funds should be needed, it said. Transit systems are losing $400 million per month on average, said the FCM. It said TransLink in Metro Vancouver is losing $75 million each month. TransLink said April 20 that its ridership was down 83 per cent and it had issued "temporary layoff notices" to 1,492 employees. It said it was also cutting back service levels for its buses, the SkyTrain, the SeaBus, and the West Coast Express, as well as cutting salaries and deferring maintenance and service expansions.
Parking fees and other payments for things like recreational centres are also taking a bite out of budgets. Mississauga will lose $23 million in rec centre fees by the end of June, while Toronto is losing almost $17 million every month from lost parking fees, said FCM. Hiking property taxes isn’t a “viable alternative” to federal funding, the FCM argued: even with a large 10 per cent property tax hike, Vancouver would still be in the hole by $130 million. http://twitter.com/TransLinkNews/status/1253360894303547393


nationalobserver--2020-04-27--Ontario has a COVID-19 reopening plan, but it comes with big caveats

When Ontario eventually eases restrictions meant to stop the spread of COVID-19 , it will happen slowly .
Some workplaces may be allowed to reopen , according to a plan released by the provincial government Monday .
Some parks may start allowing visitors .
Hospitals may begin doing some elective surgeries again .
But the government is also preparing residents for the idea that this may not happen anytime soon .
Unlike Saskatchewan 's reopening plan , Ontario 's comes with no lists , even tentative ones , of what will be reopened and when .
`` It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a calendar , '' said Premier Doug Ford , who also declined to say exactly which types of businesses will be allowed to open as restrictions ease .
`` I won ’ t set hard dates until we ’ re ready because the virus travels at its own speed . ''
• Canada will learn Covid-19 lessons from U.S. Ford publicly mused last week about beginning to relax COVID-19 measures over the Victoria Day long weekend in May .
But the reopening plan released Monday says public health measures ca n't begin to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least two to four weeks .
Numbers of patients hospitalized , and the number of cases that can not be traced to a source must also continue to go down , the plan says .
Although the novel coronavirus appears to be peaking in Ontario , Ford said , it 's unclear how long that peak will last .
And the virus has n't begun to decline yet , with the province reporting 424 new cases Monday .
`` We have a ways to go , '' Chief Medical Officer of Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreaks are still a serious issue in long-term care homes , homeless shelters and other facilities that serve vulnerable people .
This process will likely not be linear , the province 's plan says .
Restrictions could return at any time if COVID-19 begins surging again .
And the way Ontarians are living now — staying home , not visiting friends and family , staying two metres apart from people outside their households — must continue , and it is unclear when that will change .
`` As public health measures are lifted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will need to continue to maintain physical distancing and hand-washing , along with self-isolation when experiencing COVID-19 symptoms , '' reads the plan .
`` Remote work options should also continue where feasible . ''
The plan also cautions that a return to normal life is not necessarily on the table , at least for now .
Though restaurants , bars and retail stores may be allowed to come back during the second stage of the process , Ontario is facing a summer without large public events like concerts and sports events , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreseeable future , '' the document reads .
`` It ’ s a roadmap .
It ’ s not a calendar , '' said Premier Doug Ford .
`` I won ’ t set hard dates until we ’ re ready because the virus travels at its own speed . ''
# onpoli # COVID19ON Ford warned that even when sports do eventually return — a possibility he said the province is talking about with franchises — stadiums will likely remain empty for quite a while .
He also would n't say whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proper physical distancing measures .
Overall , the premier said , the goal is to get back to `` as normal as possible '' until there is a COVID-19 vaccine , a milestone that is likely still far away .
But long-term , he said , some things may not be the same as they were .
“ I don ’ t think it will ever go back to where it was before , '' he said .
`` Our lives have changed .
We ’ re doing things differently.
” A chart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reopen after COVID-19 led to much of the province being shut down .
Handout from Province of Ontario The three stages of reopening The province 's plan is broken down into three stages .
Each stage will last at least two to four weeks , and at every step , the province may add restrictions back in or maintain the status quo for a bit longer before moving to the next phase , the planning document says .
Officials will evaluate case numbers , numbers of people in hospital , how effectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources of new infections , testing levels and the availability of ventilators and key protective equipment for frontline workers .
• More workplaces may open .
This could include some retail and service industries , and some offices • Some larger public gatherings may be allowed • Physical distancing , hand-washing and respiratory hygiene measures continue , along with extra protections for long-term care and other vulnerable populations • All workplaces may be allowed to open , with extra precautions in place .
• More restrictions on public gatherings may loosen , although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be restricted `` for the foreseeable future '' • Physical distancing , hand-washing and respiratory hygiene measures continue , along with extra protections for long-term care and other vulnerable populations The plan says the government will be consulting with businesses , social service providers , Indigenous communities and post-secondary schools in the coming days .
The province will also give a set of guidelines to businesses that are allowed to reopen , and step up workplace inspections .
The document does n't shed any light on when schools could reopen , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the government will proceed slowly and in phases , based on the best advice from the chief medical officer of health , '' it reads .
The reopening plan also does n't include specific plans for reopening provincial parks , or for reopening regions that have been less affected by the novel coronavirus .
A chart showing Ontario 's criteria for allowing the province to relax some COVID-19 measures .
Handout from Province of Ontario Ontario must ramp up testing and contact tracing before it can reopen Ontario 's reopening plan appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
A decline in cases , enhanced testing , increased tracing of the close contacts of infected people and cautionary measures in settings with vulnerable people are on the list .
( Other measures that are outside of provincial jurisdiction , such as border control , are also included . )
But it 's difficult to see Ontario beginning the process of reopening unless it significantly steps up its COVID-19 testing regime , Timothy Sly , an epidemiologist and professor emeritus at Ryerson University , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the problem is that a significant number of people with COVID-19 appear to show no symptoms , which makes it hard to know how many people are truly infected , he said .
And even though Ontario has managed to work up to processing 12,550 tests per day as of Monday , it has repeatedly battled testing backlogs and missed its own goals to increase the number of people tested .
Though it 's impossible to test everyone , one global best practice is to check a representative sample of people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreaks could be , Sly said .
Temperature checks and tests could also be implemented at high-traffic locations such as grocery stores .
`` It ’ s a stealth virus , '' he said .
`` ( Without widespread testing ) we ’ re looking at letting people out absolutely blind . ''
Sly also said the province needs to start testing to find out who may have antibodies to COVID-19 in their blood .
Some people who had COVID-19 , including those who were asymptomatic , may have the antibodies , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means those people ca n't get infected again .
Sly said it 's also important that people understand COVID-19 will not have gone away , even if new case numbers begin declining .
Right now , the virus is being artificially blocked from spreading , but many people are still vulnerable and could fall ill if restrictions are lifted .
That 's why Ontarians should n't expect to have `` group hugs and spring barbecues '' any time soon , even as some restrictions are slowly peeled back , Sly added .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we shouldn ’ t come out of lockdown at all '' until there 's a vaccine , Sly said .
`` But you put on your human hat and you say we can ’ t stay in lockdown forever ...
The cases will start to rise again .
Hopefully they won ’ t rise that quickly , but they will rise again . ''
This story was updated at 3:16 p.m. to include comments from Ontario Premier Doug Ford and at 5:48 p.m. to include more information on global best practices for reopening @

When Ontario eventually eases restrictions meant to stop the spread of COVID-19, it will happen slowly. Some workplaces may be allowed to reopen, according to a plan released by the provincial government Monday. Some parks may start allowing visitors. Hospitals may begin doing some elective surgeries again. But the government is also preparing residents for the idea that this may not happen anytime soon. Unlike Saskatchewan's reopening plan, Ontario's comes with no lists, even tentative ones, of what will be reopened and when. "It’s a roadmap. It’s not a calendar," said Premier Doug Ford, who also declined to say exactly which types of businesses will be allowed to open as restrictions ease. "I won’t set hard dates until we’re ready because the virus travels at its own speed."
Ford publicly mused last week about beginning to relax COVID-19 measures over the Victoria Day long weekend in May. But the reopening plan released Monday says public health measures can't begin to ease until COVID-19 case numbers decline for at least two to four weeks. Numbers of patients hospitalized, and the number of cases that cannot be traced to a source must also continue to go down, the plan says. Although the novel coronavirus appears to be peaking in Ontario, Ford said, it's unclear how long that peak will last. And the virus hasn't begun to decline yet, with the province reporting 424 new cases Monday. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "We have a ways to go," Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams said, noting that outbreaks are still a serious issue in long-term care homes, homeless shelters and other facilities that serve vulnerable people.
This process will likely not be linear, the province's plan says. Restrictions could return at any time if COVID-19 begins surging again. And the way Ontarians are living now — staying home, not visiting friends and family, staying two metres apart from people outside their households — must continue, and it is unclear when that will change. "It’s a roadmap. It’s not a calendar," said Premier Doug Ford."I won’t set hard dates until we’re ready because the virus travels at its own speed." #onpoli #COVID19ON "As public health measures are lifted and economic activity resumes, the public will need to continue to maintain physical distancing and hand-washing, along with self-isolation when experiencing COVID-19 symptoms," reads the plan. "Remote work options should also continue where feasible." The plan also cautions that a return to normal life is not necessarily on the table, at least for now. Though restaurants, bars and retail stores may be allowed to come back during the second stage of the process, Ontario is facing a summer without large public events like concerts and sports events, which will be "restricted for the foreseeable future," the document reads. Ford warned that even when sports do eventually return — a possibility he said the province is talking about with franchises — stadiums will likely remain empty for quite a while. He also wouldn't say whether patios would be able to open with proper physical distancing measures. Overall, the premier said, the goal is to get back to "as normal as possible" until there is a COVID-19 vaccine, a milestone that is likely still far away. But long-term, he said, some things may not be the same as they were.
“I don’t think it will ever go back to where it was before," he said. "Our lives have changed. We’re doing things differently.” A chart showing the phases of Ontario's plan to reopen after COVID-19 led to much of the province being shut down. Handout from Province of Ontario


nationalobserver--2020-04-28--Call for military to assist Fort McMurray due to flooding

Provincial and federal governments say they are ready to help with flooding in northern Alberta as the number of evacuations in Fort McMurray continued to increase Monday .
`` We have requested assistance from the federal government as we face this new crisis , '' Don Scott , mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo , said in a social media post .
It came as spring ice breakup on the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers led to flooding and the complete closure of the city 's downtown core .
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the federal government was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for ways to help .
`` The fact that flooding season and , in due course , forest fire season is coinciding with coronavirus in Canada is posing some special challenges , '' she said in Ottawa .
`` We have been gearing up for those from the outset and this is an issue we are looking at urgently today . ''
• Ontario has a COVID-19 reopening plan , but it comes with big caveats • Canada will learn Covid-19 lessons from U.S .
The municipality on the weekend declared a second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one declared last month because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Premier Jason Kenney said in a tweet Monday that he and Environment Minister Jason Nixon were on their way to Fort McMurray to `` get eyes on the flood situation and to ensure all necessary support is being provided in response to the local emergency . ''
Kenney said he would meet with Scott , local members of the legislature and emergency management officials .
No one from the municipality was available Monday for an interview , but Scott said Sunday that something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spring and this happens to be a one-in-20-year event .
Officials had been monitoring an ice jam about 10 kilometres upstream for several days and it let loose early Sunday .
The municipality started issuing evacuation orders in some areas Sunday and those continued throughout the day Monday for the Lower Townsite area in Fort McMurray 's downtown .
Flooding in Fort McMurray leads to request for military assistance from Ottawa Officials said in an emailed statement late Monday that more than 5,000 people had already registered at its evacuation centres and noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They asked people to pay attention to the mandatory orders .
`` Our emergency response crews have been working night and day to help ... our residents get to those safe places , '' Regional Fire Chief Jody Butz said in an audio message to residents .
`` We 've rescued over 200 residents . ''
Highway 63 , the main route into and out of the city , remained open and the evacuation orders did not include the hospital .
`` Significant resources are dedicated to berming and sandbagging the area surrounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Scott Davis , the municipality 's director of emergency management , said in a statement .
`` There is no threat to the hospital at this time . ''
Alberta 's chief medical officer of health , Dr. Deena Hinshaw , said during her daily briefing that provincial officials were prepared for potential evacuations due to floods or fires .
`` Our teams at health have been working with the provincial operations centre to make sure there are considerations , for example , in evacuation centres , '' she said .
Hinshaw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 .
Officials with Alberta Health Services have issued a boil water advisory due to reports of discolouration in tap water in some Fort McMurray neighbourhoods .
It was later expanded to the entire city , as well as to Anzac , Draper , Fort McMurray First Nation , Gregoire Lake Estates and Saprae Creek Estates .

Provincial and federal governments say they are ready to help with flooding in northern Alberta as the number of evacuations in Fort McMurray continued to increase Monday. "We have requested assistance from the federal government as we face this new crisis," Don Scott, mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, said in a social media post. It came as spring ice breakup on the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers led to flooding and the complete closure of the city's downtown core. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the federal government was aware of the situation and was looking for ways to help. "The fact that flooding season and, in due course, forest fire season is coinciding with coronavirus in Canada is posing some special challenges," she said in Ottawa. "We have been gearing up for those from the outset and this is an issue we are looking at urgently today."
The municipality on the weekend declared a second state of local emergency on top of one declared last month because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Premier Jason Kenney said in a tweet Monday that he and Environment Minister Jason Nixon were on their way to Fort McMurray to "get eyes on the flood situation and to ensure all necessary support is being provided in response to the local emergency." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Kenney said he would meet with Scott, local members of the legislature and emergency management officials.
No one from the municipality was available Monday for an interview, but Scott said Sunday that something always occurs when the ice breaks each spring and this happens to be a one-in-20-year event. Flooding in Fort McMurray leads to request for military assistance from Ottawa Officials had been monitoring an ice jam about 10 kilometres upstream for several days and it let loose early Sunday. The municipality started issuing evacuation orders in some areas Sunday and those continued throughout the day Monday for the Lower Townsite area in Fort McMurray's downtown. Officials said in an emailed statement late Monday that more than 5,000 people had already registered at its evacuation centres and noted that number was expected to grow. They asked people to pay attention to the mandatory orders.
"Our emergency response crews have been working night and day to help ... our residents get to those safe places," Regional Fire Chief Jody Butz said in an audio message to residents. "We've rescued over 200 residents." Highway 63, the main route into and out of the city, remained open and the evacuation orders did not include the hospital. "Significant resources are dedicated to berming and sandbagging the area surrounding the hospital to mitigate flood risk," Scott Davis, the municipality's director of emergency management, said in a statement. "There is no threat to the hospital at this time."


nationalobserver--2020-04-28--Doctors say they see little progress on improving PPE supply

The Canadian Medical Association has called for greater government transparency about the available supply of protective equipment in light of a new survey that suggests most respondents have seen no improvements in the last month .
Getting vital personal protective equipment , or PPE , to guard themselves against the virus has been a struggle for doctors across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic .
A recent survey of nearly 2,500 doctors across Canada found 42 per cent had seen no change in the supply of gear such as masks and face shields in the last month , while 29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse .
On the flip side , 22 per cent say there 's been some improvement to the PPE supply , but only six per cent say it 's been a significant change .
It 's the second survey of its kind the CMA has done since the pandemic began .
The first survey captured doctors ' responses at the end of March , while this latest one is from April 20 and 21 .
• Ontario has a COVID-19 reopening plan , but it comes with big caveats • Canada will learn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it might be better but , similar to the previous survey , a third of physicians were still fearful they were going to run out of PPE in a matter of days , '' said CMA president Dr. Sandy Buchman .
The concerns were slightly more pronounced among community physicians compared to those who practice in hospitals , he said , which aligns with what he 's heard from members anecdotally .
Doctors in Saskatchewan seemed to feel most strongly that the PPE supply had deteriorated in the last three weeks , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse .
The uncertainty about the strained supply of PPE has been adding to worries around the pandemic , Buchman said , with about 96 per cent of physicians surveyed saying they were experiencing some level of anxiety .
Doctors are worried about becoming vectors of the virus and transmitting it to patients , getting sick themselves or , perhaps worst of all , passing it on to their own loved ones , Buchman said .
The vast majority , 88 per cent , said a greater supply of PPE would reduce their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent said having more information would help .
Doctors say they see little progress on improving PPE supply : survey The federal government has provided public briefings about its ongoing orders for more masks , gowns , gloves and other protective equipment from a highly competitive market abroad , as well as efforts to retool domestic production .
Buchman said he believes the government is working incredibly hard to acquire what 's needed to fight COVID-19 , but specific information about when those supplies will reach individual hospitals and practices has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting down to the grassroots , '' he said .
Clear information about where the supplies are going , who will get them — and when — would go a long way to easing doctors ' anxieties , he said .
The survey did show some minor improvements .
Across the country , 33 per cent of those who responded to the latest survey said they would have enough surgical masks to last at least 10 days , compared to only 20 per cent three weeks ago .
Doctors reported similar improvements for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shields and N95 respirators .

The Canadian Medical Association has called for greater government transparency about the available supply of protective equipment in light of a new survey that suggests most respondents have seen no improvements in the last month. Getting vital personal protective equipment, or PPE, to guard themselves against the virus has been a struggle for doctors across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent survey of nearly 2,500 doctors across Canada found 42 per cent had seen no change in the supply of gear such as masks and face shields in the last month, while 29 per cent felt the supply is now worse. On the flip side, 22 per cent say there's been some improvement to the PPE supply, but only six per cent say it's been a significant change. It's the second survey of its kind the CMA has done since the pandemic began. The first survey captured doctors' responses at the end of March, while this latest one is from April 20 and 21.
"We thought it might be better but, similar to the previous survey, a third of physicians were still fearful they were going to run out of PPE in a matter of days," said CMA president Dr. Sandy Buchman. The concerns were slightly more pronounced among community physicians compared to those who practice in hospitals, he said, which aligns with what he's heard from members anecdotally. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Doctors in Saskatchewan seemed to feel most strongly that the PPE supply had deteriorated in the last three weeks, with 45 per cent describing the situation as worse.
The uncertainty about the strained supply of PPE has been adding to worries around the pandemic, Buchman said, with about 96 per cent of physicians surveyed saying they were experiencing some level of anxiety. Doctors say they see little progress on improving PPE supply: survey Doctors are worried about becoming vectors of the virus and transmitting it to patients, getting sick themselves or, perhaps worst of all, passing it on to their own loved ones, Buchman said. The vast majority, 88 per cent, said a greater supply of PPE would reduce their anxiety during the pandemic, and 68 per cent said having more information would help. The federal government has provided public briefings about its ongoing orders for more masks, gowns, gloves and other protective equipment from a highly competitive market abroad, as well as efforts to retool domestic production. Buchman said he believes the government is working incredibly hard to acquire what's needed to fight COVID-19, but specific information about when those supplies will reach individual hospitals and practices has been lacking.
"It's somehow not getting down to the grassroots," he said. Clear information about where the supplies are going, who will get them — and when — would go a long way to easing doctors' anxieties, he said. The survey did show some minor improvements.


nationalobserver--2020-04-28--Nearly 10,000 businesses apply for COVID-19 wage subsidy in first hours

Payment can be retroactive to the middle of March , and end in early June — about one month after the first payments start flowing May 7 .
The emergency measure will cover 75 per cent of wages for employers that have seen sharp declines in revenue since the novel coronavirus pandemic hit Canada hard last month , up to $ 847 per worker , per week .
Thousands of businesses have applied for the federal government 's $ 73-billion wage subsidy program , joining a COVID-19 emergency economic plan that industry groups warn is becoming more complicated the longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job .
Keeping workers on payrolls should position companies well for when economic activity restarts , and help an overall recovery , Kingston said .
A number of high-profile Canadian companies , such as Air Canada , have said they will rehire furloughed workers because of federal aid .
More large employers in Canada are expected to do the same , said Brian Kingston , vice-president of international and fiscal issues at the Business Council of Canada .
`` It will help businesses pull back employees onto their payrolls , but I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to believe that many businesses are going to do that before they 're allowed to get back to business , '' he said .
However , many businesses that laid off workers wo n't rehire them until economic restrictions ease and storefronts reopen , said CFIB president Dan Kelly , adding four-fifths of small businesses remain completely or largely closed .
Survey results released Monday morning by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business , which represents thousands of small businesses in the country , suggest half will apply for the wage subsidy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( reopening ) is phased correctly , you can start to see an economic recovery ... that will allow the government to phase out some of the support programs , '' he said , noting how important it will be for health officials to get a hold on the pandemic as a first step .
The wage subsidy program makes up half the roughly $ 145 billion in federal spending on COVID-19 countermeasures , and will cause a ripple of changes for the millions of workers who have either lost their jobs or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
Federal officials have been unable to say how many workers receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit may be rehired through the wage subsidy , as they too look to see how the programs interact in real time .
Workers ca n't receive financial help from both programs at the same time .
That means some people may have to pay back whatever they received through the $ 2,000-a-month CERB if the wage subsidy covers any of the same time period .
CERB recipients have to reapply for the program every four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so already , or plan to do so in the coming days without knowing if they 're going to be hired back under the wage subsidy .
`` That 's just one example of the type of complexity that will need to be reconciled at the end of the year , '' said Peter Tzanetakis , president of the Canadian Payroll Association .
Trudeau acknowledged during his regular appearance Monday that the situation those workers find themselves is complex , and suggested they put money aside to repay the government over any inadvertent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures that aim to do the same sorts of things — make sure families and workers are able to make it through this time , while doing the right thing to keep themselves safe and make sure our economy comes back strong , '' he said outside his Ottawa residence .
`` But it is one or the other .
Because of the uncertainty , because of the application process , it is possible people will have received both the CERB and the wage subsidy .
In that case , they will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming months , pay one of them back . ''

Thousands of businesses have applied for the federal government's $73-billion wage subsidy program, joining a COVID-19 emergency economic plan that industry groups warn is becoming more complicated the longer businesses stay closed and workers off the job. The emergency measure will cover 75 per cent of wages for employers that have seen sharp declines in revenue since the novel coronavirus pandemic hit Canada hard last month, up to $847 per worker, per week. Payment can be retroactive to the middle of March, and end in early June — about one month after the first payments start flowing May 7. Survey results released Monday morning by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which represents thousands of small businesses in the country, suggest half will apply for the wage subsidy. However, many businesses that laid off workers won't rehire them until economic restrictions ease and storefronts reopen, said CFIB president Dan Kelly, adding four-fifths of small businesses remain completely or largely closed.
"It will help businesses pull back employees onto their payrolls, but I think it's a bit of a fantasy to believe that many businesses are going to do that before they're allowed to get back to business," he said. A number of high-profile Canadian companies, such as Air Canada, have said they will rehire furloughed workers because of federal aid. More large employers in Canada are expected to do the same, said Brian Kingston, vice-president of international and fiscal issues at the Business Council of Canada. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Keeping workers on payrolls should position companies well for when economic activity restarts, and help an overall recovery, Kingston said.
"We're hoping that if this (reopening) is phased correctly, you can start to see an economic recovery ... that will allow the government to phase out some of the support programs," he said, noting how important it will be for health officials to get a hold on the pandemic as a first step. Nearly 10,000 businesses apply for wage subsidy in first hours, Trudeau says The wage subsidy program makes up half the roughly $145 billion in federal spending on COVID-19 countermeasures, and will cause a ripple of changes for the millions of workers who have either lost their jobs or had their hours slashed due to the crisis. Federal officials have been unable to say how many workers receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit may be rehired through the wage subsidy, as they too look to see how the programs interact in real time. Workers can't receive financial help from both programs at the same time. That means some people may have to pay back whatever they received through the $2,000-a-month CERB if the wage subsidy covers any of the same time period. CERB recipients have to reapply for the program every four weeks, and some may have done so already, or plan to do so in the coming days without knowing if they're going to be hired back under the wage subsidy.
"That's just one example of the type of complexity that will need to be reconciled at the end of the year," said Peter Tzanetakis, president of the Canadian Payroll Association. Trudeau acknowledged during his regular appearance Monday that the situation those workers find themselves is complex, and suggested they put money aside to repay the government over any inadvertent double-dipping. "These are two different measures that aim to do the same sorts of things — make sure families and workers are able to make it through this time, while doing the right thing to keep themselves safe and make sure our economy comes back strong," he said outside his Ottawa residence.


nationalobserver--2020-04-28--Canadians divided over making COVID-19 vaccine mandatory

While researchers across the planet race to find a vaccine for COVID-19 , a new poll suggests Canadians are divided over whether getting it should be mandatory or voluntary — setting up a potentially prickly public health debate if a vaccine becomes available .
The federal government has committed tens of millions of dollars to help find or create a vaccine for the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 , the respiratory illness that has infected at least 48,000 Canadians and killed more than 2,700 .
Yet the poll conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies found that while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be required to get the vaccine once it is ready , the other 40 per cent think it should be voluntary .
While that does n't mean only 60 per cent would get the vaccine themselves , Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque nonetheless said he would have expected much higher support for a mandatory vaccine given the scale and scope of the pandemic .
`` It 's almost as if it 's seen as just another flu vaccine , '' Bourque told The Canadian Press .
`` I myself would have expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given the crisis we 're in .
But Canadians are kind of divided on this . ''
• Ontario has a COVID-19 reopening plan , but it comes with big caveats • Canada will learn Covid-19 lessons from U.S .
The Leger poll was conducted April 24 to 26 and surveyed 1,515 adult Canadians recruited from Leger ’ s online panel .
The internet-based survey can not be assigned a margin of error because online polls are not considered random samples .
Older Canadians , who are most at risk of serious harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support a mandatory vaccine .
Respondents who identified themselves as likely to vote Liberal were also most likely to agree with a mandatory vaccine while those leaning Conservative were least likely .
Bourque suggested this was a reflection of ideological differences seen throughout the crisis : those on the left of the political spectrum are more willing to accept government intervention than those on the right who prioritize personal freedoms .
The poll also looked for the first time at what activities Canadians would feel comfortable doing once government restrictions imposed because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their offices , shopping , dining out and attending concerts and sporting events .
The results , which comes as many provinces are unveiling tentative plans and timelines for easing restrictions , was a mixed bag .
Respondents were comfortable with some activities but not others , particularly those involving large groups of people in the same place .
The majority ( 58 per cent ) felt they would be comfortable allowing in-home renovations by contractors , going to farmers ' markets ( 57 per cent ) and shopping at the mall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only 15 per cent said they would not be comfortable returning to their own workplaces .
Yet only 45 per cent said they would be comfortable eating in a restaurant while 24 per cent would feel comfortable going to the gym , 23 per cent flying on an airplane and 21 per cent attending a large gathering such as a concert or sports event .
`` The ones that are at the top , these are activities where people feel they can manage some form of social distancing , '' Bourque said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ trust and satisfaction Canadians feel toward their leaders and public-health officials has remained consistently high since a similar poll was conducted the previous week .
The number who were afraid of catching COVID-19 also remained unchanged .
Yet the number of respondents who admitted to breaking at least one of the guidelines around managing COVID-19 , such as practising physical distancing , going out only for necessities and washing their hands more often , was found to have increased to 33 per cent from 27 per cent .
`` To me it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deconfinement news because they 're starting to slack off a little bit on what they should be allowed to do , '' Bourque said .
`` I think if there is no plan for deconfinement , people will start to become more delinquent . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28 , 2020 .

While researchers across the planet race to find a vaccine for COVID-19, a new poll suggests Canadians are divided over whether getting it should be mandatory or voluntary — setting up a potentially prickly public health debate if a vaccine becomes available. The federal government has committed tens of millions of dollars to help find or create a vaccine for the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the respiratory illness that has infected at least 48,000 Canadians and killed more than 2,700. Yet the poll conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies found that while 60 per cent of respondents believe people should be required to get the vaccine once it is ready, the other 40 per cent think it should be voluntary. While that doesn't mean only 60 per cent would get the vaccine themselves, Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque nonetheless said he would have expected much higher support for a mandatory vaccine given the scale and scope of the pandemic. "It's almost as if it's seen as just another flu vaccine," Bourque told The Canadian Press. "I myself would have expected a higher number given the severity, given the crisis we're in. But Canadians are kind of divided on this."
The Leger poll was conducted April 24 to 26 and surveyed 1,515 adult Canadians recruited from Leger’s online panel. The internet-based survey cannot be assigned a margin of error because online polls are not considered random samples. Older Canadians, who are most at risk of serious harm from COVID-19, were more likely to support a mandatory vaccine. Respondents who identified themselves as likely to vote Liberal were also most likely to agree with a mandatory vaccine while those leaning Conservative were least likely. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Bourque suggested this was a reflection of ideological differences seen throughout the crisis: those on the left of the political spectrum are more willing to accept government intervention than those on the right who prioritize personal freedoms.
The poll also looked for the first time at what activities Canadians would feel comfortable doing once government restrictions imposed because of COVID-19 are finally lifted, including returning to their offices, shopping, dining out and attending concerts and sporting events. Canadians divided over making COVID-19 vaccine mandatory: Poll The results, which comes as many provinces are unveiling tentative plans and timelines for easing restrictions, was a mixed bag. Respondents were comfortable with some activities but not others, particularly those involving large groups of people in the same place. The majority (58 per cent) felt they would be comfortable allowing in-home renovations by contractors, going to farmers' markets (57 per cent) and shopping at the mall (53 per cent). And only 15 per cent said they would not be comfortable returning to their own workplaces. Yet only 45 per cent said they would be comfortable eating in a restaurant while 24 per cent would feel comfortable going to the gym, 23 per cent flying on an airplane and 21 per cent attending a large gathering such as a concert or sports event. "The ones that are at the top, these are activities where people feel they can manage some form of social distancing," Bourque said.
The poll also indicated the level of trust and satisfaction Canadians feel toward their leaders and public-health officials has remained consistently high since a similar poll was conducted the previous week. The number who were afraid of catching COVID-19 also remained unchanged. Yet the number of respondents who admitted to breaking at least one of the guidelines around managing COVID-19, such as practising physical distancing, going out only for necessities and washing their hands more often, was found to have increased to 33 per cent from 27 per cent. "To me it's an indication that they're looking for deconfinement news because they're starting to slack off a little bit on what they should be allowed to do," Bourque said. "I think if there is no plan for deconfinement, people will start to become more delinquent."


nationalobserver--2020-04-28--Plans underway for so-called salmon cannon to help fish past landslide

Plans are underway for a pneumatic fish pump , also known as a salmon cannon , to be used to help fish migrate past a landslide on British Columbia 's Fraser River , officials with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said Monday .
A fish ladder is under construction that will direct salmon to a holding pool where they 'll be pumped through a series of tubes suspended above the river , said Gwil Roberts , director of the department 's landslide response team .
He said the pump is more viable in high water levels than a fishway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create areas where the salmon can rest as they swim upstream to reach spawning areas .
Snowpack is melting fast and Roberts said the volume of water is concerning .
The BC River Forecast Centre reports that the Fraser River at the area of the slide is already flowing at more than double the rate it was at the same time last year .
Roberts said migrating salmon wo n't be able to use the fishway until water volume drops , which may not happen until August .
• Ontario has a COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big caveats • Canada will learn Covid-19 lessons from U.S .
The slide was discovered in the remote canyon north of Lillooet last June .
Huge pieces of rock from a 125-metre cliff had sheared off and crashed into the river , creating a five-metre waterfall .
The salmon cannon , on lease from the Seattle-based company Whooshh Innovations , will help move the fish past the pinch point in the river .
If for some reason it ca n't be used , salmon would be transported upstream as tens of thousands were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Roberts .
Despite those efforts , Roberts said the slide was devastating and resulted in a `` very high mortality rate '' for wild salmon , whose populations are already in decline , threatened by climate change and habitat degradation .
Fisheries and Oceans expects hundreds of Chinook salmon to begin arriving at the site of the slide each day in late May , while thousands of Sockeye are expected to arrive daily starting in July .
Chinook is the primary prey of the endangered southern resident killer whales , and Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of biological programs , said the fish that arrived early were the hardest hit by the slide last year .
It was n't until early August that crews were able to catch fish in a healthier condition , said Crowe , and those fish generally fared better when it came to reaching their spawning areas .
In early September , large numbers of fish could pass through the site on their own , he added .
Plans underway for so-called salmon cannon to aid return at B.C .
landslide : DFO Crowe said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slide and spawning areas upstream , and that data will help Fisheries and Oceans draw conclusions about different populations and the impacts of last year 's efforts to help the salmon .
While Roberts said the COVID-19 pandemic has not significantly delayed work at the site of the landslide , Crowe said it has affected scientists ' ability to track how many salmon are heading out of fresh water and into the ocean this spring .
Roberts said a newly completed road has improved access to the slide , which is surrounded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary contractor has implemented stringent safety measures to address risks posed both by the site and by the novel coronavirus .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 27 , 2020 .

Plans are underway for a pneumatic fish pump, also known as a salmon cannon, to be used to help fish migrate past a landslide on British Columbia's Fraser River, officials with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said Monday. A fish ladder is under construction that will direct salmon to a holding pool where they'll be pumped through a series of tubes suspended above the river, said Gwil Roberts, director of the department's landslide response team. He said the pump is more viable in high water levels than a fishway that was completed by using boulders to create areas where the salmon can rest as they swim upstream to reach spawning areas. Snowpack is melting fast and Roberts said the volume of water is concerning. The BC River Forecast Centre reports that the Fraser River at the area of the slide is already flowing at more than double the rate it was at the same time last year. Roberts said migrating salmon won't be able to use the fishway until water volume drops, which may not happen until August.
The slide was discovered in the remote canyon north of Lillooet last June. Huge pieces of rock from a 125-metre cliff had sheared off and crashed into the river, creating a five-metre waterfall. The salmon cannon, on lease from the Seattle-based company Whooshh Innovations, will help move the fish past the pinch point in the river. If for some reason it can't be used, salmon would be transported upstream as tens of thousands were last year by truck and helicopter, said Roberts. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Despite those efforts, Roberts said the slide was devastating and resulted in a "very high mortality rate" for wild salmon, whose populations are already in decline, threatened by climate change and habitat degradation.
Fisheries and Oceans expects hundreds of Chinook salmon to begin arriving at the site of the slide each day in late May, while thousands of Sockeye are expected to arrive daily starting in July. Plans underway for so-called salmon cannon to aid return at B.C. landslide: DFO Chinook is the primary prey of the endangered southern resident killer whales, and Michael Crowe, Fisheries and Oceans' manager of biological programs, said the fish that arrived early were the hardest hit by the slide last year. It wasn't until early August that crews were able to catch fish in a healthier condition, said Crowe, and those fish generally fared better when it came to reaching their spawning areas. In early September, large numbers of fish could pass through the site on their own, he added. Crowe said there has been extensive monitoring around the slide and spawning areas upstream, and that data will help Fisheries and Oceans draw conclusions about different populations and the impacts of last year's efforts to help the salmon. While Roberts said the COVID-19 pandemic has not significantly delayed work at the site of the landslide, Crowe said it has affected scientists' ability to track how many salmon are heading out of fresh water and into the ocean this spring.


nationalobserver--2020-04-28--A spike in domestic violence happening in Toronto due to COVID-19 experts say

A feared spike in domestic and intimate partner violence — a byproduct of stay-at-home measures that was predicted by advocates at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic — appears to be occurring .
Advocates say the number of women in Toronto and neighbouring regions seeking emergency help has increased dramatically , as has the severity of the cases .
“ Anecdotally , it looks like the numbers have tripled , it feels as though it tripled overnight , ” said Gillian Freeman , the executive director of the non-profit Victim Services of York Region .
She said some days the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has received between 30 and 60 referrals , compared to around a dozen before the pandemic .
Police in York Region , a municipality north of Toronto , say domestic incidents are up 18 per cent , while Toronto police note little change , although these numbers reflect all calls to residences , rather than specifically for domestic and intimate partner violence .
• Ontario has a COVID-19 reopening plan , but it comes with big caveats • Canada will learn Covid-19 lessons from U.S. From young women confined and sexually assaulted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a woman packing her young children on to a public bus to seek refuge from an abusive partner ’ s belt , regional relief agencies are struggling to handle the influx .
“ What we are seeing is an increasing severity of assault and increased complexity of cases with less infrastructure available , ” said Bobbie McMurrich , the associate executive director at Victim Services Toronto .
The Assaulted Women ’ s Helpline , a 24/7 crisis counselling service , is handling four times as many calls seeking shelter , even though it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more calls in total .
( The service handles around 4,000 calls a month , with half coming from the Greater Toronto Area . )
“ These are not typical calls , where somebody is riding a city bus because there are no community centres open , there is no safe space for them to be going , ” said Yvonne Harding , the manager of resource development for the helpline .
While the service was able to get that woman and her children into emergency housing , that has not been the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only two beds available in the three weeks after the crisis hit , where Harding said they would have typically been able to place 50 women .
Women are instead being pointed to shelters outside of the Greater Toronto Area , she said , which requires additional transportation and adds to the dislocation of the victims .
“ What we are seeing is an increasing severity of assault and increased complexity of cases with less infrastructure available , ” said Bobbie McMurrich , the associate executive director at @ VSToronto Harding said younger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intimate partner abuse .
“ For young women it is often the first time in a relationship and it escalates before they know what they are into , ” she said , adding that the service was also seeing a jump in referrals related to university students back at home with their parents .
The economic dislocation of massive job loss has raised the tension inside households and stay-at-home orders are keeping evidence hidden from those who might typically raise the alarm .
Meanwhile , the need for physical distancing to limit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restricted the supply of safe spaces .
The Red Door Family Shelter , which runs a 50-bed shelter in Toronto focused on helping women escaping intimate partner violence , is no longer able to host multiple women without children , who are typically younger , in its 23 rooms due to public health restrictions .
The shelter ’ s executive director , Carol Latchford , said that while governments have responded by making hotel rooms available on a short-term basis , there has been little thought given so far to a long-term solution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everything feels very fragile , we ’ re walking on ice and dealing with people ’ s lives , ” she said .
The federal and provincial governments have both offered more funding to deal with domestic violence during the pandemic .
Ontario is providing a one-time emergency payment of $ 2.7 million to support services for victims of domestic violence and other violent crimes , and Ottawa has offered up to $ 30 million to address the immediate needs of shelters and sexual assault centres across the country .
Staff at Victim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ domestic disturbances , but must now make do with speaking to victims on the phone , McMurrich said , while more than 200 trained volunteers have been stood down .
She said one client who had previously experienced verbal abuse and some controlling behaviour from a partner had earlier this month been hospitalised after the abuse escalated and she was stabbed .
McMurrich said weapons are becoming a more common feature in the cases her service is seeing in the COVID-19 era , and they are having to arrange three times as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in immediate danger , call police at 911 right away .
Assaulted Women ’ s Helpline ( AWHL ) can be reached at 1 866 863 0511 And Indigenous women can access Talk4Healing services in 14 languages at 1 855 554 HEAL ( 4325 )

A feared spike in domestic and intimate partner violence — a byproduct of stay-at-home measures that was predicted by advocates at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic — appears to be occurring. Advocates say the number of women in Toronto and neighbouring regions seeking emergency help has increased dramatically, as has the severity of the cases. “Anecdotally, it looks like the numbers have tripled, it feels as though it tripled overnight,” said Gillian Freeman, the executive director of the non-profit Victim Services of York Region. She said some days the organization, which works closely with police, has received between 30 and 60 referrals, compared to around a dozen before the pandemic. Police in York Region, a municipality north of Toronto, say domestic incidents are up 18 per cent, while Toronto police note little change, although these numbers reflect all calls to residences, rather than specifically for domestic and intimate partner violence.
From young women confined and sexually assaulted after seeking out online dates, to a woman packing her young children on to a public bus to seek refuge from an abusive partner’s belt, regional relief agencies are struggling to handle the influx. “What we are seeing is an increasing severity of assault and increased complexity of cases with less infrastructure available,” said Bobbie McMurrich, the associate executive director at Victim Services Toronto. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The Assaulted Women’s Helpline, a 24/7 crisis counselling service, is handling four times as many calls seeking shelter, even though it is only getting around five per cent more calls in total. (The service handles around 4,000 calls a month, with half coming from the Greater Toronto Area.)
“These are not typical calls, where somebody is riding a city bus because there are no community centres open, there is no safe space for them to be going,” said Yvonne Harding, the manager of resource development for the helpline. “What we are seeing is an increasing severity of assault and increased complexity of cases with less infrastructure available,” said Bobbie McMurrich, the associate executive director at @VSToronto While the service was able to get that woman and her children into emergency housing, that has not been the norm during this crisis. They found only two beds available in the three weeks after the crisis hit, where Harding said they would have typically been able to place 50 women. Women are instead being pointed to shelters outside of the Greater Toronto Area, she said, which requires additional transportation and adds to the dislocation of the victims. Harding said younger women face specific challenges when confronted with intimate partner abuse. “For young women it is often the first time in a relationship and it escalates before they know what they are into,” she said, adding that the service was also seeing a jump in referrals related to university students back at home with their parents.
The economic dislocation of massive job loss has raised the tension inside households and stay-at-home orders are keeping evidence hidden from those who might typically raise the alarm. Fewer safe spaces Meanwhile, the need for physical distancing to limit the spread of the virus in shelters has restricted the supply of safe spaces.


nationalobserver--2020-04-28--Reopen Sask. plan has northern leaders 'terrified'

But Moe ’ s “ Reopen Saskatchewan ” doesn ’ t apply the same way in the north , at least for now , and northern leadership wants that to be clear .
“ Over the next several weeks , restrictions will be gradually lifted by adding more types of businesses to the allowable businesses list , meaning that they can reopen if they so choose , ” Premier Scott Moe said .
The Saskatchewan government announced its plan to reopen the province on Thursday .
After the news broke , the mood in northern Saskatchewan was one of relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was drawing to a close .
There has been a marked increase of COVID-19 cases in the north , making it a hot spot for the pandemic in Saskatchewan .
Checkpoints have been established by northern leadership along highways leading into northern Saskatchewan .
The province said that Friday ’ s order provides the legal authority to enforce travel restrictions into the north .
That second announcement turned relief in the north to panic and confusion for many .
But northern leaders said it ’ s what they ’ ve been calling for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moe ’ s nationally broadcast announcement , Saskatchewan ’ s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab signed a public health order restricting all non-critical travel to the north and recommending against non-essential travel to or between northern communities .
For perspective , the total population of the northern Saskatchewan economic region as defined by Statistics Canada in the 2016 census is 37,064 , compared to 1,098,352 for the entire province .
And then on Monday , Saskatchewan had 12 more new cases of COVID-19 , bringing the provincial total to 365 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Far North and one is in the North region .
On Sunday , Saskatchewan had another four new cases of COVID-19 , bringing the provincial total to 353 with three out of the four new cases in the North .
Of the eight new cases announced on Saturday , seven are in the Far North region bringing the total number of cases across the province to 349 .
The total number of active cases in the province was 57 , with 32 of those cases in the Far North .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Far North region as it appears on Saskatchewan health authority maps .
The northern village of La Loche has been coping with an outbreak since mid-April .
On Saturday , an elder from La Loche died of COVID-19 while in North Battleford .
The death wasn ’ t announced by the Saskatchewan health authority until Monday .
Shortly after the government ’ s announcement , Saskatchewan RCMP said that a civilian employee in La Loche , a village in northwest Saskatchewan , tested positive for COVID-19 .
Northern Saskatchewan faces unique challenges dealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population centers make supplies hard to deliver , and crowded housing can facilitate the spread of disease .
“ I have spoken with La Loche Mayor Robert St. Pierre and several other people in the community and we will continue to work closely with northern leaders to protect the north.
” “ Our government has already taken significant action to respond to the situation in La Loche and we are taking further action today , ” Moe said on Friday .
That ’ s why First Nations , Métis and municipal leaders established @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response team , which is a community-led initiative to combat the pandemic locally .
They hold daily information and response meetings , share knowledge and build partnerships between communities and are assisted by the 4th Canadian Ranger group and resident military reservists .
“ Reopen Saskatchewan is not ready .
We don ’ t have a strategy to go back safely to our normal operations .
In our view , if you can ’ t test us and you can ’ t vaccinate us , let ’ s stay isolated , ” Rick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Communities Incident Command Center COVID response team in Beauval told National Observer .
Laliberte said that there was no consultation with the north of the province before the reopen Saskatchewan plan was unveiled on Thursday .
He said there ’ s a disconnect between what the province is telling Saskatchewan as a whole and what northern leaders are telling their constituents .
“ We were experiencing an outbreak as they were planning to reopen the provincial economy and it was totally counter to what we had been asking for .
We wanted travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We only have one ventilator in our whole region .
It ’ s a vulnerable health system for us .
You have to go to North Battleford or Saskatoon for anything beyond that .
“ We ’ re dealing now with contaminated garbage .
The contaminated garbage right now from the COVID-19 patients .
Now we have to haul garbage all the way to Meadow Lake .
In Patuanak , there ’ s a whole truck load of garbage .
It ’ s just sitting in the back of a truck and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said people need to be cognizant of things like the proper disposal of disinfectant wipes , but that knowledge isn ’ t getting to residents fast enough because of the lack of provincial participation to fight the pandemic .
“ If you put disinfectant wipes in your sewer system , your lift stations will back up and if you have a sewer backup in the middle of a pandemic you ’ ve got double jeopardy… We ’ re unifying our water and sewer operators in our region in case the water and sewer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Some residents also say that neighbouring Alberta should take responsibility for its part in spreading the virus following outbreaks in the oilfields .
“ Jason Kenney shut it down .
Take responsibility and shut it down because you are impacting a wide region .
Jason Kenney spread [ COVID-19 ] to northern Saskatchewan , ” Candyce Paul , who is acting as an emergency management liaison with the English River First Nation , told National Observer .
Paul says Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is putting the oil and gas industry ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel from Saskatchewan to Alberta for jobs .
She sees Alberta as even more of a risk to the region than southern Saskatchewan , and blames the Alberta government for not limiting oil extraction activities and allowing the pandemic to spread across borders into northwest Saskatchewan via oil workers .
According to public health authorities , among the first cases in the Far North were the result of workers moving back and forth between northern Saskatchewan and Alberta .
Many residents cross the border for work in the oilsands industry , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul says some of these workers spend “ two weeks on , two weeks off ” on average between Alberta and Saskatchewan , putting Sask .
communities at risk .
“ Northern Alberta was the original public health advisory .
Premier Kenney still says [ the oilsands ] are essential services.
” “ Alberta ’ s decision has impacted northern Saskatchewan .
That is the reason we have COVID in northern Saskatchewan.
” That said , Paul believes that northerners have not been a priority for the Saskatchewan government , either .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for support went unheeded until it was too late .
“ The north is just a cash cow to milk dry until it bleeds , and we ’ re bleeding.
” As a result of being ignored , communities say they have had to come up with their own solutions and response plans to deal with the pandemic .
They aren ’ t happy about it , but they aren ’ t surprised either .
“ The north is looking after its own like we ’ ve always had to .
Now that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing that we were right .
Nobody ’ s going to do it for us , ” she said .
As the northwest of the province is experiencing the brunt of COVID-19 , leaders in the northeast region are watching worriedly .
They say that they are just as underfunded as the community of La Loche was before the pandemic hit .
They are asking for $ 10 million in funding from the province to help them prepare , as they have not received any funding from the province to combat the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are demanding more support and more resources to help them deal with COVID-19 .
This is a crisis and we have seen in La Loche and the west side they ’ re having outbreaks of COVID-19 .
The provincial government needs to do its part , ” Cumberland district MLA Doyle Vermette told National Observer .
“ If you ’ re going to say that you ’ re partners and that you ’ re consulting with our leaders let ’ s be very clear .
Why are the leaders calling for the resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re so-called ‘ communicating ’ with them ?
Vermette is also the NDP ’ s associate critic for First Nations and Métis relations in Saskatchewan .
“ I didn ’ t get consulted and I was on a call with a bunch of mayors and I didn ’ t hear any of them saying they ’ ve been getting phone calls from any government .
The northern municipalities know what their communities need , where they can help , and that ’ s why we ’ re calling on the province @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with COVID-19 , ” Vermette said .
Northern Village of Air Ronge Mayor Gordon Stomp told National Observer that as of Friday , there had been no direct communication to his community about COVID-19 from the provincial government at all .
“ I ’ d be terrified if COVID-19 spread to the community .
I fear that that would be just terrible .
I hope it never happens and I hope we have a better chance .
So far we ’ re doing quite well with the numbers here but things could change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You hear the whining in Regina because all their recreational facilities are shut down .
Well , we don ’ t have those sort of amenities in northern Saskatchewan .
We don ’ t have football stadiums and things , ” Stomp said .
While federally funded institutions have been getting help for response programming , northern municipalities fall under provincial jurisdiction and have not seen any aid .
They say that this makes it difficult for municipalities to coordinate relief efforts with neighbouring jurisdictions .
“ We keep the basic infrastructure going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d sure like to help out a little bit along the way with our residents who are all feeling the pinch .
Some work at the mines in the north , and there are a lot of laid-off people right now and unemployment has risen some , ” Stomp said .
“ We would like to help our residents out a little bit and our businesses as well .
We ’ d like to be part of that [ relief effort ] as municipalities but we have no funding at all .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ monetarily we can ’ t help out.
” “ The pandemic is still here and we need to treat it as seriously today as we did before Mr. Moe released the reopen Saskatchewan plan , ” Ryan Meili , MLA for Saskatoon Meewasin and leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party , told National Observer in an interview on Friday after the announcement .
“ They released their reopen plan yesterday and there ’ s an entire chapter on golf courses but not a single word on First Nations and Métis people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Meili said .
Saskatchewan 's Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said in a press briefing earlier this month that as long as an infected individual is following health authority guidelines and all of their contacts have been traced , where they are isn ’ t important .
“ We don ’ t have any interjurisdictional boundaries in Saskatchewan .
We haven ’ t had that for other communicable diseases and other crises and we certainly don ’ t have that for COVID , ” Shahab said .
“ Knowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community , is of absolutely no value because all the contacts are accounted for and followed-up.
” Meili also maintains a practice as a family doctor in Saskatoon .
He does n't agree with the notion that all of Saskatchewan can approach the pandemic in the same way from a health perspective .
“ Northern communities are different .
There are distance challenges , there are crowded housing challenges , there are challenges with poverty and associated illness that make these communities more susceptible and more vulnerable.
” He wants an approach that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities .
“ This outbreak is a very serious concern .
We ’ ve raised since the beginning of April the need for a different approach for northern Saskatchewan… This has not been a priority for the Sask .
Party , ” Meili said .
“ Whenever tragedy happens up north , resources come afterwards .
That ’ s not when we need them .
We needed them beforehand.
” Premier Moe said there are unique challenges when an outbreak happens in a remote northern community .
“ As I noted yesterday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of COVID-19 , unfortunately we can expect to experience isolated outbreaks , ” Moe said on Friday .
Staffing of the checkpoints will continue to be directed by northern leadership .
Moe said that the provincial government has offered fire suppression staff to support the checkpoints and to provide any other support required .
“ Our health system and our government is prepared to take immediate action to respond to these outbreaks and that ’ s what we are doing today in the north.
” Residents aren ’ t waiting on Moe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promises .
“ Please help support that we need to keep the north locked down , be very , very aware that this isn ’ t over when you open up and it could spread , that 's your government ’ s responsibility , ” Candyce Paul said .
“ Please don ’ t drop all the precautions that you ’ ve been told to do , even though the government says you can .
Because they ’ re not thinking of you and your families and your vulnerable .
”

The day following Premier Moe’s nationally broadcast announcement, Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab signed a public health order restricting all non-critical travel to the north and recommending against non-essential travel to or between northern communities.
But Moe’s “Reopen Saskatchewan” doesn’t apply the same way in the north, at least for now, and northern leadership wants that to be clear.
“Over the next several weeks, restrictions will be gradually lifted by adding more types of businesses to the allowable businesses list, meaning that they can reopen if they so choose,” Premier Scott Moe said.
The Saskatchewan government announced its plan to reopen the province on Thursday. After the news broke, the mood in northern Saskatchewan was one of relief; the pandemic, it seemed, was drawing to a close.
There has been a marked increase of COVID-19 cases in the north, making it a hot spot for the pandemic in Saskatchewan.
Checkpoints have been established by northern leadership along highways leading into northern Saskatchewan. The province said that Friday’s order provides the legal authority to enforce travel restrictions into the north.
That second announcement turned relief in the north to panic and confusion for many. But northern leaders said it’s what they’ve been calling for all along.
On Sunday, Saskatchewan had another four new cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 353 with three out of the four new cases in the North.
Of the eight new cases announced on Saturday, seven are in the Far North region bringing the total number of cases across the province to 349. The total number of active cases in the province was 57, with 32 of those cases in the Far North.
The majority of active cases are in the Far North region as it appears on Saskatchewan health authority maps.
The northern village of La Loche has been coping with an outbreak since mid-April. On Sunday, an elder from La Loche died of COVID-19 while in North Battleford. The death wasn’t announced by the Saskatchewan health authority until Monday.
Shortly after the government’s announcement, Saskatchewan RCMP said that a civilian employee in La Loche, a village in northwest Saskatchewan, tested positive for COVID-19.
For perspective, the total population of the northern Saskatchewan economic region as defined by Statistics Canada in the 2016 census is 37,064, compared to 1,098,352 for the entire province.
And then on Monday, Saskatchewan had 12 more new cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 365. Eleven of the 12 new cases are in the Far North and one is in the North region.
Map of the Northern Saskatchewan Administrative District. Graphic courtesy of the Government of Saskatchewan.
“Our government has already taken significant action to respond to the situation in La Loche and we are taking further action today,” Moe said on Friday.
“I have spoken with La Loche Mayor Robert St. Pierre and several other people in the community and we will continue to work closely with northern leaders to protect the north.”
Northern Saskatchewan faces unique challenges dealing with the pandemic. Long distances between population centers make supplies hard to deliver, and crowded housing can facilitate the spread of disease.
That’s why First Nations, Métis and municipal leaders established the Northwest Communities Incident Command Center COVID response team, which is a community-led initiative to combat the pandemic locally.
They hold daily information and response meetings, share knowledge and build partnerships between communities and are assisted by the 4th Canadian Ranger group and resident military reservists.
“Reopen Saskatchewan is not ready. We don’t have a strategy to go back safely to our normal operations. In our view, if you can’t test us and you can’t vaccinate us, let’s stay isolated,” Rick Laliberte, Incident Commander with the Northwest Communities Incident Command Center COVID response team in Beauval told National Observer.
Effective April 27 there are a total of 365 cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan. Graphic courtesy of Government of Saskatchewan. Cases and Risk of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan.
Laliberte said that there was no consultation with the north of the province before the reopen Saskatchewan plan was unveiled on Thursday.
He said there’s a disconnect between what the province is telling Saskatchewan as a whole and what northern leaders are telling their constituents.
“We were experiencing an outbreak as they were planning to reopen the provincial economy and it was totally counter to what we had been asking for. We wanted travel restrictions,” Laliberte said.
“We only have one ventilator in our whole region. It’s a vulnerable health system for us. You have to go to North Battleford or Saskatoon for anything beyond that.
“We’re dealing now with contaminated garbage. The contaminated garbage right now from the COVID-19 patients. Now we have to haul garbage all the way to Meadow Lake. In Patuanak, there’s a whole truck load of garbage. It’s just sitting in the back of a truck and the ravens are taking it away.”
He said people need to be cognizant of things like the proper disposal of disinfectant wipes, but that knowledge isn’t getting to residents fast enough because of the lack of provincial participation to fight the pandemic.
“If you put disinfectant wipes in your sewer system, your lift stations will back up and if you have a sewer backup in the middle of a pandemic you’ve got double jeopardy… We’re unifying our water and sewer operators in our region in case the water and sewer system goes down because of an operator.”
Some residents also say that neighbouring Alberta should take responsibility for its part in spreading the virus following outbreaks in the oilfields.
“Jason Kenney shut it down. Take responsibility and shut it down because you are impacting a wide region. Jason Kenney spread [COVID-19] to northern Saskatchewan,” Candyce Paul, who is acting as an emergency management liaison with the English River First Nation, told National Observer.
Paul says Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is putting the oil and gas industry ahead of risks to workers, including workers who travel from Saskatchewan to Alberta for jobs.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney's designation of the oil sands as essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic has raised some eyebrows in northern Sask. Photograph by Canadian Press.
She sees Alberta as even more of a risk to the region than southern Saskatchewan, and blames the Alberta government for not limiting oil extraction activities and allowing the pandemic to spread across borders into northwest Saskatchewan via oil workers.
According to public health authorities, among the first cases in the Far North were the result of workers moving back and forth between northern Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Many residents cross the border for work in the oilsands industry, which is considered an essential service in Alberta.
Paul says some of these workers spend “two weeks on, two weeks off” on average between Alberta and Saskatchewan, putting Sask. communities at risk.
“Northern Alberta was the original public health advisory. Premier Kenney still says [the oilsands] are essential services.”
“Alberta’s decision has impacted northern Saskatchewan. That is the reason we have COVID in northern Saskatchewan.”
That said, Paul believes that northerners have not been a priority for the Saskatchewan government, either. She said that repeated calls from northern leaders for support went unheeded until it was too late.
“The north is just a cash cow to milk dry until it bleeds, and we’re bleeding.”
Candyce Paul, who is acting as an emergency management liaison with the English River First Nation, at her office in La Plonge, Saskatchewan. Photograph courtesy of Candyce Paul.
As a result of being ignored, communities say they have had to come up with their own solutions and response plans to deal with the pandemic. They aren’t happy about it, but they aren’t surprised either.
“The north is looking after its own like we’ve always had to. Now that we’re in this we are seeing that we were right. Nobody’s going to do it for us,” she said.
As the northwest of the province is experiencing the brunt of COVID-19, leaders in the northeast region are watching worriedly.
They say that they are just as underfunded as the community of La Loche was before the pandemic hit. They are asking for $10 million in funding from the province to help them prepare, as they have not received any funding from the province to combat the spread of the virus.
“Our municipalities are demanding more support and more resources to help them deal with COVID-19. This is a crisis and we have seen in La Loche and the west side they’re having outbreaks of COVID-19. The provincial government needs to do its part,” Cumberland district MLA Doyle Vermette told National Observer.
“If you’re going to say that you’re partners and that you’re consulting with our leaders let’s be very clear. Why are the leaders calling for the resources that they’re calling for if you’re so-called ‘communicating’ with them?
Vermette is also the NDP’s associate critic for First Nations and Métis relations in Saskatchewan.
“I didn’t get consulted and I was on a call with a bunch of mayors and I didn’t hear any of them saying they’ve been getting phone calls from any government. The northern municipalities know what their communities need, where they can help, and that’s why we’re calling on the province to help them right now in dealing with COVID-19,” Vermette said.
Northern Village of Air Ronge Mayor Gordon Stomp told National Observer that as of Friday, there had been no direct communication to his community about COVID-19 from the provincial government at all.
The Northern Village of Air Ronge is in the Far North region of Saskatchewan. It's in the northeast provincial district of Cumberland. Photograph by Michael Bramadat-Willcock.
“I’d be terrified if COVID-19 spread to the community. I fear that that would be just terrible. I hope it never happens and I hope we have a better chance. So far we’re doing quite well with the numbers here but things could change tomorrow,” Stomp said.
“You hear the whining in Regina because all their recreational facilities are shut down. Well, we don’t have those sort of amenities in northern Saskatchewan. We don’t have football stadiums and things,” Stomp said.
While federally funded institutions have been getting help for response programming, northern municipalities fall under provincial jurisdiction and have not seen any aid.
They say that this makes it difficult for municipalities to coordinate relief efforts with neighbouring jurisdictions.
“We keep the basic infrastructure going and the basic services, but we’d sure like to help out a little bit along the way with our residents who are all feeling the pinch. Some work at the mines in the north, and there are a lot of laid-off people right now and unemployment has risen some,” Stomp said.
“We would like to help our residents out a little bit and our businesses as well. We’d like to be part of that [relief effort] as municipalities but we have no funding at all. We can’t really respond because monetarily we can’t help out.”
“The pandemic is still here and we need to treat it as seriously today as we did before Mr. Moe released the reopen Saskatchewan plan,” Ryan Meili, MLA for Saskatoon Meewasin and leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party, told National Observer in an interview on Friday after the announcement.
“They released their reopen plan yesterday and there’s an entire chapter on golf courses but not a single word on First Nations and Métis people. Not a single word on the north,” Meili said.
Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said in a press briefing earlier this month that as long as an infected individual is following health authority guidelines and all of their contacts have been traced, where they are isn’t important.
Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab with Premier Scott Moe. Photograph by Canadian Press.
“We don’t have any interjurisdictional boundaries in Saskatchewan. We haven’t had that for other communicable diseases and other crises and we certainly don’t have that for COVID,” Shahab said.
“Knowing where that individual is, or which community, is of absolutely no value because all the contacts are accounted for and followed-up.”
Meili is also a physician in Saskatoon, having applied to renew his medical license in March to be able to help with the COVID-19 response. He is now working a couple of shifts a week, at the Saskatoon testing facility and at the Lighthouse homeless shelter. He doesn't agree with the notion that all of Saskatchewan can approach the pandemic in the same way from a health perspective.
Ryan Meili, MLA for Saskatoon Meewasin and leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party. Photograph by Canadian Press.
“Northern communities are different. There are distance challenges, there are crowded housing challenges, there are challenges with poverty and associated illness that make these communities more susceptible and more vulnerable.”
He wants an approach that is tailored to the needs of northern communities.
“This outbreak is a very serious concern. We’ve raised since the beginning of April the need for a different approach for northern Saskatchewan… This has not been a priority for the Sask. Party,” Meili said.
“Whenever tragedy happens up north, resources come afterwards. That’s not when we need them. We needed them beforehand.”
Premier Moe said there are unique challenges when an outbreak happens in a remote northern community.
“As I noted yesterday, even though Saskatchewan has successfully reduced the spread of COVID-19, unfortunately we can expect to experience isolated outbreaks,” Moe said on Friday.
Staffing of the checkpoints will continue to be directed by northern leadership. Moe said that the provincial government has offered fire suppression staff to support the checkpoints and to provide any other support required.

Medical clinic in La Ronge, Sask. March 17, 2020. Saskatoon physician Ryan Meili, who is MLA for Saskatoon Meewasin and leader of the provincial NDP, says that distance, crowded housing, poverty and associated illness make northern communities more susceptible and more vulnerable. Photograph by Michael Bramadat-Willcock.
“Our health system and our government is prepared to take immediate action to respond to these outbreaks and that’s what we are doing today in the north.”
Residents aren’t waiting on Moe to follow through on all of his promises.
“Please help support that we need to keep the north locked down, be very, very aware that this isn’t over when you open up and it could spread, that's your government’s responsibility,” Candyce Paul said.
“Please don’t drop all the precautions that you’ve been told to do, even though the government says you can. Because they’re not thinking of you and your families and your vulnerable.”
Michael Bramadat-Willcock / Local Journalism Initiative