nationalobserver--2020-04-15--A 'city in the north'

A 'city in the north'

Sitting behind a desk full of paperwork , the mayor of La Ronge , Sask.
, is helping lead the town — and much of the Far North region — through the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ I have always seen La Ronge as the capital of the North .
I really have .
Prince Albert calls itself that , but it isn ’ t .
We are in the North and we are situated here .
We provide a lot of services to the North , ” Ron Woytowich said .
From its location in the boreal forest , La @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where further-away cities can not .
Prince Albert , around 240 kilometres to the south by road , is the nearest official city .
“ I ’ m not trying to put any other communities in the North down , but this is a city the same as any city , ” Woytowich said .
It ’ s also important to the area because it has an airport , a fire department , a hospital and an RCMP detachment .
Woytowich moved to La Ronge with his wife on a short-term contract after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Saskatchewan .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs “ I ’ m on my second career .
I was a cop .
Made it up as a police chief and I was done , ( then ) I went to university , ” he said .
Today , Woytowich wears two hats .
His office is in the Kikinahk Friendship Centre where he ’ s the executive director .
Kikinahk is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and houses a head-start pre-K program , a prenatal program , a homeless shelter and a youth program .
Ron Woytowich in his capacity as executive director of Kikinahk Friendship Centre standing in front of the 'scattered sites ' emergency shelter .
Photograph by Michael Bramadat-Willcock The year Woytowich ran for mayor , he won , and an entirely new council was elected alongside him .
“ There was a feeling in the community , and at this election , I ran for mayor because I didn ’ t like what was happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ran for council and we got in entirely brand new , ” he said .
He said he ’ s kept taxes and municipal water prices at a reasonable rate ( there is no airport tax ) through planned spending he learned from his years in the non-profit sector .
“ We are very careful in spending .
I don ’ t want to take the credit for it other than I ’ m helping push for it .
“ It ’ s beautiful here .
Wait till end of June or beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prairie lilies in the ditch .
There are millions of them .
You don ’ t see that anywhere else .
We ’ re really a city in the North , ” La Ronge mayor Ron Woytowich .
“ My claim to fame is that we have n't raised taxes , which is nice because they have everywhere else and we ’ re still providing services.
” He considered stepping down from his role as mayor after suffering a stroke during a meeting .
“ I had a stroke two and a half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stubborn and I wanted to prove ( myself ) to the doctors .
What I do is I forget names .
That ’ s part of my stroke .
My wife ’ s name is the only one I ’ ve never forgotten.
” He credits his recovery to the doctor who alerted him to the stroke during the meeting and to the quality of health services in La Ronge .
Woytowich does n't know if he ’ ll run for mayor in the next municipal election .
“ It depends who you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Combined with the neighbouring communities of Air Ronge and Lac La Ronge , La Ronge is part of a tri-community that is the 13th-biggest population centre in the province .
Relationships between the three communities are close and they share services such as firefighting and waterworks .
“ We make decisions on a mutual basis based on the percentage of population .
We all get along , but it ’ s not because we have to .
We want to .
We really get along good , ” Woytowich said .
The COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spotlight .
The last series of events of this magnitude to impact the area was the 2015 wildfires that raged through northern Saskatchewan , forcing 13,000 people to flee their homes .
Then , like now , La Ronge became central to relief efforts .
Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper with regional fire department members in La Ronge on an official visit after the 2015 wildfires .
Source : Office of the Prime Minister .
“ La Ronge is the drop-off point for a lot of things , which is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community , ” Woytowich said .
Testing for COVID-19 is happening and so far , no confirmed cases have been found in the community .
The town council enacted social-distancing policies at its latest council meeting in March and in-person meetings are delayed until further notice .
La Ronge once had a CBC station and newspaper .
The mayor said news played an integral role in keeping the community informed .
He referenced the late British philosopher Thomas Hobbes .
“ There ’ s this thing of a state of nature .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no letters , no things like that .
“ The idea of losing a newspaper , it ’ s so important to a community … a newspaper also had all your local news and if somebody got married or won a prize , their picture was there and you made copies of it and you sent that to all your relatives and we do n't have that anymore , ” Woytowich said .
“ That ’ s what makes a community .
It ’ s what makes your community official in my opinion.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ the odd fire , ” Woytowich said La Ronge is a safe and connected place to live .
“ It ’ s beautiful here .
Wait till end of June or beginning of July and see all the Saskatchewan prairie lilies in the ditch .
There are millions of them .
You don ’ t see that anywhere else .
We ’ re really a city in the North.
” We don ’ t have earthquakes .
We don ’ t have to worry about typhoons or anything like that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
”

Sitting behind a desk full of paperwork, the mayor of La Ronge, Sask., is helping lead the town — and much of the Far North region — through the COVID-19 pandemic. “I have always seen La Ronge as the capital of the North. I really have. Prince Albert calls itself that, but it isn’t. We are in the North and we are situated here. We provide a lot of services to the North,” Ron Woytowich said. From its location in the boreal forest, La Ronge provides for the Far North region where further-away cities cannot. Prince Albert, around 240 kilometres to the south by road, is the nearest official city. “I’m not trying to put any other communities in the North down, but this is a city the same as any city,” Woytowich said. It’s also important to the area because it has an airport, a fire department, a hospital and an RCMP detachment. La Ronge council meeting on March 18, 2020. Photograph by Michael Bramadat-Willcock.
Woytowich moved to La Ronge with his wife on a short-term contract after finishing a degree in public administration at the University of Saskatchewan. “I’m on my second career. I was a cop. Made it up as a police chief and I was done, (then) I went to university,” he said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Today, Woytowich wears two hats. His office is in the Kikinahk Friendship Centre where he’s the executive director. Kikinahk is tied to a variety of government programs and houses a head-start pre-K program, a prenatal program, a homeless shelter and a youth program.
Ron Woytowich in his capacity as executive director of Kikinahk Friendship Centre standing in front of the 'scattered sites' emergency shelter. Photograph by Michael Bramadat-Willcock The year Woytowich ran for mayor, he won, and an entirely new council was elected alongside him. “There was a feeling in the community, and at this election, I ran for mayor because I didn’t like what was happening and a whole pile of other people ran for council and we got in entirely brand new,” he said. “It’s beautiful here. Wait till end of June or beginning of July and see all the Saskatchewan prairie lilies in the ditch. There are millions of them. You don’t see that anywhere else. We’re really a city in the North,” La Ronge mayor Ron Woytowich. He said he’s kept taxes and municipal water prices at a reasonable rate (there is no airport tax) through planned spending he learned from his years in the non-profit sector. “We are very careful in spending. I don’t want to take the credit for it other than I’m helping push for it. “My claim to fame is that we haven't raised taxes, which is nice because they have everywhere else and we’re still providing services.” He considered stepping down from his role as mayor after suffering a stroke during a meeting. “I had a stroke two and a half years ago, but I was just stubborn and I wanted to prove (myself) to the doctors. What I do is I forget names. That’s part of my stroke. My wife’s name is the only one I’ve never forgotten.”
He credits his recovery to the doctor who alerted him to the stroke during the meeting and to the quality of health services in La Ronge. Woytowich doesn't know if he’ll run for mayor in the next municipal election. “It depends who you ask. My wife says no.” Combined with the neighbouring communities of Air Ronge and Lac La Ronge, La Ronge is part of a tri-community that is the 13th-biggest population centre in the province. Relationships between the three communities are close and they share services such as firefighting and waterworks. “We make decisions on a mutual basis based on the percentage of population. We all get along, but it’s not because we have to. We want to. We really get along good,” Woytowich said.


nationalobserver--2020-04-15--Public excluded as Strathcona Regional District moves meetings online due to COVID-19

Strathcona Regional District is moving its meetings online due to COVID-19 , but it is not allowing the public to attend , nor will it be making the meetings available to the public at a later date .
The district is citing technological limitations and a provincial emergency order issued during the COVID-19 crisis as the reasons for not making the meetings public .
However , other regional districts and provincial ministries are using commonly available technology to hold online meetings and make them accessible to the public .
David Leitch , SRD chief administrative officer , said today 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Teams , a video , audio and chat collaboration platform used in many offices .
The public and media can ’ t attend the online meeting , as the SRD does not have the technology available to allow it , said Leitch .
As well , the SRD won ’ t make any video or audio recordings of the meeting available to the public afterwards .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding • Time to bail out Alberta workers , not billionaire oil company CEOs The SRD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the meeting based on a provincial emergency ministerial order issued March 26 in response to COVID-19 , said Leitch .
“ This ( amendment ) allows us to conduct meetings without the public ’ s participation , ” he said .
“ There are oodles of local governments out there that won ’ t , and don ’ t , have the ability to broadcast their meetings , ” Leitch added , noting such technologies are expensive .
“ We ’ re not trying to avoid transparency , we don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re not the only ones.
” The provincial order allows local governments to temporarily hold meetings without the public physically present , and to conduct meetings online during the crisis — two measures not permitted to local governments or boards previous to the pandemic .
But B.C .
's Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing suggested local governments and boards work to facilitate public attendance at electronic meetings in an email Tuesday .
“ If we have the capacity to allow the public to be present , we darn well should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will be part of the discussion , '' Noba Anderson , Cortes Island director on Strathcona Regional District 's board meetings moving online .
“ While the order allows meeting to be held without the public physically present , we encourage local governments to provide online streaming of council and board meetings that includes opportunities for 'real-time ' questions and answers to encourage public engagement and allow for media attendance , ” the email said .
“ Local governments can also keep their community informed by providing critical information about discussion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and posting draft minutes in a timely manner.
” The ministry also recommends boards allow remote presentations from delegations , and provide opportunities for written submissions .
“ We are trying our best within our mandate to continue with the business of the board in the most transparent ways we have available to us , ” SRD board chair Michele Babchuk said in an email Tuesday .
Michele Babchuk , SRD board chair , said the district is continuing with its business in the most transparent ways it has available .
Photo : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using Zoom , a popular web conference app , to hold district meetings with directors during COVID-19 .
Following the meeting , the CVRD posts a recording to YouTube with links to the district ’ s website for the public to view , said Jake Martens , CRVD manager of legislative services .
Two CVRD meetings , including a regional board meeting , have taken place using Zoom since the COVID-19 crisis started , said Martens .
Subscribing to Zoom is relatively economical , said Martens , adding the format is helpful to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director is speaking during the meeting .
The district is aware there were some security concerns about using Zoom , but it didn ’ t receive any guidance from the province not to use it , Martens said .
“ We took a few measures recommended by our IT department and haven ’ t experienced any problems so far , ” he said .
The CVRD also expects to have live streaming of public meetings , broadcast technology that was under development previous to the COVID-19 crisis , ready to go next week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has plans to establish broadcasts and hopes to get the technology working within the next couple of months , said Leitch .
The minutes of upcoming SRD meetings will be posted to the district ’ s website after the meeting occurs , he added .
However , Zoom , which allows public viewing and the recording of a meeting , won ’ t be used because of security concerns and the inability to moderate public participation , Leitch said .
Zoom has become ubiquitous for meetings during the COVID-19 crisis , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privacy flaws , including Zoom-booming , instances where online hijackers take over meetings and post pornographic images or utter profanities .
However , B.C .
's Ministry of Education has licensed the Zoom platform to allow teachers to provide virtual learning to K-12 students during the pandemic after making some security moderations .
John Biehler , a technology expert with GetConnected , said Zoom , Microsoft Teams , Skype and Google Meet are all technologies readily available for organizations to conduct and record online meetings .
However , administrating public online meetings with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be unwieldy for organizations unfamiliar with the platforms .
John Biehler , a technology expert with GetConnected , said there is a range of technologies readily available to conduct or record meetings online .
Photo : courtesy of GetConnected “ It becomes , potentially , a fairly arduous administrative task to manage a meeting of , say , 10 participants and potentially hundreds of viewers , ” Biehler said .
“ It might be easier for jurisdictions to choose to record it and just broadcast it after the fact , so it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to having people come into the meeting and assigning certain privileges to them.
” Posting a public meeting to a website or to social media platforms , such as Facebook , Twitter or YouTube , has other advantages , he said .
“ Before , if people wanted to watch a meeting , they would have to go to the chambers .
Now they can watch from their couch on laptop if they wanted to , ” Biehler said .
Microsoft Teams might be a preferable choice for online meetings involving confidential information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , Zoom has taken steps to make changes to address recent security concerns , Biehler said .
“ Generally , for public meetings , it should be fine , ” he said .
The SRD board is currently learning the technology for how to conduct board business online , Noba Anderson , regional director for Cortes Island , said Tuesday morning .
But Anderson hoped the public would have access to board meetings , if not at the first online meeting today , at least by the next scheduled meeting on April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity to allow the public to be present , we darn well should be doing it , and I am assuming it will be part of the discussion , '' said Anderson .
“ This is likely our new normal for many months , and if an applicant has to speak , there has to be a mechanism for that .
There has to be .
”

Strathcona Regional District is moving its meetings online due to COVID-19, but it is not allowing the public to attend, nor will it be making the meetings available to the public at a later date. The district is citing technological limitations and a provincial emergency order issued during the COVID-19 crisis as the reasons for not making the meetings public. However, other regional districts and provincial ministries are using commonly available technology to hold online meetings and make them accessible to the public. David Leitch, SRD chief administrative officer, said today's board meeting will take place using Microsoft Teams, a video, audio and chat collaboration platform used in many offices. The public and media can’t attend the online meeting, as the SRD does not have the technology available to allow it, said Leitch. As well, the SRD won’t make any video or audio recordings of the meeting available to the public afterwards.
The SRD is allowed to exclude the public from the meeting based on a provincial emergency ministerial order issued March 26 in response to COVID-19, said Leitch. “This (amendment) allows us to conduct meetings without the public’s participation,” he said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “There are oodles of local governments out there that won’t, and don’t, have the ability to broadcast their meetings,” Leitch added, noting such technologies are expensive.
“We’re not trying to avoid transparency, we don’t have the technology to broadcast, and we’re not the only ones.” “If we have the capacity to allow the public to be present, we darn well should be doing it, and I am assuming it will be part of the discussion," Noba Anderson, Cortes Island director on Strathcona Regional District's board meetings moving online. The provincial order allows local governments to temporarily hold meetings without the public physically present, and to conduct meetings online during the crisis — two measures not permitted to local governments or boards previous to the pandemic. But B.C.'s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing suggested local governments and boards work to facilitate public attendance at electronic meetings in an email Tuesday. “While the order allows meeting to be held without the public physically present, we encourage local governments to provide online streaming of council and board meetings that includes opportunities for 'real-time' questions and answers to encourage public engagement and allow for media attendance,” the email said. “Local governments can also keep their community informed by providing critical information about discussion, debate, and decisions on their website and posting draft minutes in a timely manner.”
The ministry also recommends boards allow remote presentations from delegations, and provide opportunities for written submissions. “We are trying our best within our mandate to continue with the business of the board in the most transparent ways we have available to us,” SRD board chair Michele Babchuk said in an email Tuesday. Michele Babchuk, SRD board chair, said the district is continuing with its business in the most transparent ways it has available. Photo: SRD


nationalobserver--2020-04-15--WHO attempts to coordinate guidelines for how to end COVID-19 lockdowns

The World Health Organization is trying to inject some co-ordination into these decisions , releasing new guidelines Tuesday for what should be in place before easing restrictions .
Similar discussions are happening around the world , as many countries are starting to show some positive signs of slowing the spread of COVID-19 — even as experts warn limited testing in most places could be masking the real picture of the disease .
Federal and provincial officials are starting to discuss how and when to start reopening schools and businesses but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned Tuesday the full-scale lockdowns most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain in place for at least several more weeks .
What the experts say : Eleanor Fish , a professor of immunology at the University of Toronto , said testing must become much more widespread before we really understand the state of community transmission .
The WHO guidelines outline six areas officials must consider if they are to look at resuming activities .
Here is where Canada stands on each of them .
`` The way down is much slower than the way up , '' Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , director-general of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` That means control measures must be lifted slowly , and with control .
It can not happen all at once . ''
`` We have a situation now essentially where we 're groping along in the dark in terms of finding out who in fact is virus positive and who 's virus negative .
We 've done an abysmal job at that , '' said Sly , who specializes in epidemiology .
What the experts say : Timothy Sly , professor emeritus at Ryerson University 's school of occupational and public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an abysmal job '' at testing and tracing .
2 .
Is the health-care system equipped to detect , test , isolate and treat every case , and trace every person who came into contact with a positive case ?
`` We may see some short-term gains if we did ease up on some of these restrictions , '' she said .
`` But in the long run if we end up with an out-of-control situation with COVID , the economy will take much , much longer to recover . ''
Thompson also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pandemic in terms of health versus the economy .
If there is n't a healthy workforce the economy will continue to suffer , she said .
If restrictions are removed too quickly , thousands of people with COVID-19 , who may not know they are infected , could potentially spread it fast and wide , she said .
`` We have to make sure it actually is levelling off , or that community transmission has actually ground to a halt , which can take quite awhile , '' she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto , said it takes a significant amount of time between a confirmed infection and fully tracing a person 's contacts and testing them , to know whether that confirmed infection has resulted in many more infections .
Sly said Health Canada 's recent approval of a rapid , mobile hand-held testing device from an Ottawa company should help , as will a series of expanded testing criteria that various provinces have adopted in recent days .
Still , he acknowledged there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have handcuffed efforts — notably , global shortages of equipment including swabs and laboratory chemicals needed to process test samples .
Sly pointed to an especially woeful rate in Ontario where Premier Doug Ford has vowed to perform 8,000 tests daily by Wednesday , up from about 5,000 .
Alberta is among Canada 's testing leaders with about 7,400 tests conducted daily , which Sly said is still not enough .
Jianhong Wu , a distinguished research professor at York University who has led multiple national projects on SARS , pandemic influenza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a close relationship between contact tracing , testing and social distancing .
`` If you do n't do well in one component , you need to significantly magnify your effort in other components , '' he said .
Sly said provinces are largely trying to contact people exposed to a confirmed case by telephone , which is not sustainable given the soaring number of cases .
He pointed to countries such as South Korea , which have employed cellphone data to track possible contacts .
He said that is much more effective , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` People are going to be hollering and screaming about that but it does seem to work , '' he said .
3 .
Are outbreaks minimized in special settings like health facilities and nursing homes ?
What the experts say : Risks remain dangerously high in hundreds of nursing homes across the country .
Quebec , where long-term care centres have been particularly hard hit , announced Tuesday that inspections have identified 41 seniors residences that require special monitoring because of a high number of COVID-19 cases .
Premier Francois Legault on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care to help out in understaffed long-term care facilities .
Canada 's chief public health officer , Theresa Tam , said Monday nearly half of the country 's deaths from the novel coronavirus have come from long-term care facilities , and she predicted the number will increase despite provinces ' efforts to fight the problem .
Twenty-nine residents in a 65-bed nursing home in Bobcaygeon , Ont.
, have died amid the pandemic .
Another facility in Toronto recorded 22 deaths by Monday , while the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents die .
In many facilities workers are also getting sick in high numbers .
After the Lynn Valley Care Centre outbreak , British Columbia moved to stop staff from working in multiple facilities as a way to slow the spread of the virus .
Ontario made the same move Tuesday .
Isaac Bogoch , an infectious-disease specialist at the University of Toronto and the University Health Network , feels that strategy , along with limiting visits with seniors and infection-prevention methods , could go a long way in minimizing risks for possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Canada now has guidelines for helping to protect long-term care residents and workers , but Tam indicated this week the outbreaks are the biggest concern that has arisen in Canada 's COVID-19 situation over the last two weeks .
4 .
Are there measures in workplaces and schools to prevent the spread of the virus ?
What the experts say about workplaces : In most provinces , only essential businesses like grocery stores and pharmacies can remain open .
All others must operate with employees working from home .
If they ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Restaurants can generally only allow takeout or delivery .
Many businesses report being too focused on setting their employees up to work from home , and have n't yet begun to think about what to do to reopen .
Provinces and business groups say it 's too early to speculate on which measures can be lifted .
Any shift in approach would come at the advice of the chief medical health officer `` and with extreme caution so as to avoid a resurgence of the virus as has been seen in other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spokeswoman for Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott .
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce says it wants clear advice from public health authorities before restrictions loosen .
`` We fully expect that there will unfortunately be an instance where an employee does test positive .
What does that mean for the workplace ?
Does there have to be a total shutdown ?
A deep clean ? ''
asked Mark Agnew , the chamber 's senior director of international policy .
Sector-specific rules will remain critical as the lockdown starts to lift , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ processors and refrigerator technicians might all require different protocols around physical distancing and personal protective equipment .
What the experts say about schools : Kids , while less susceptible to the novel coronavirus , are well equipped to transmit it .
`` Children are generally less compliant with effective hand hygiene , and they do n't necessarily control their secretions , '' said Dr. Nisha Thampi , infection prevention and control lead at Children 's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa .
`` That presents an exposure risk to the staff as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Health Agency of Canada has stopped short of recommending specific changes schools could make to their operations , but did offer more general guidance for schools in February , before Canada began to really experience the impact of COVID-19 .
That included regular hand-washing and supervised use of hand sanitizer , education on proper `` respiratory etiquette '' such as covering coughs and sneezes , ramped-up cleaning and disinfection routines within school buildings , and reinforcement of `` no sharing '' policies .
Thampi said medical experts will also have to craft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety and developmental needs .
`` Children have always seen school as being a social environment , '' she said , adding many are no longer getting that kind of stimulation in the era of physical distancing .
`` How can we be sensitive to that while also teaching them about infection-prevention strategies ? ''
5 .
Are the risks of importing more cases from outside the country being managed ?
What the experts say : The federal government has adopted once-unthinkable measures over the past month to keep more cases of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banning most non-Canadians from entering the country and a 14-day mandatory quarantine for anyone who does .
On Tuesday , Ottawa upped that game again , now requiring anyone arriving to explain their quarantine plan and if it 's not good enough , they will be forced to stay in federal sites .
The trouble is that Canada is heavily reliant from both an economic and social perspective on foreign trade and immigration .
That means it ca n't keep the border closed forever .
`` We have done a lot , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Daniel Beland , director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada .
Experts say there is a variety of potential avenues to reopen the border and manage the risk .
Being able to screen potential visitors , preferably with on-the-spot testing at airports and other ports of entry , would make it much easier to identify carriers and either bar them from coming into Canada or put them into quarantine .
Steven J. Hoffman , a York University professor and the scientific director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said the 14-day quarantine `` could be the enabler that allows government to reopen our borders , particularly if that system is really up and running and fully implemented .
And enforced in a way that we can have confidence in it . ''
There could also be more targeted travel restrictions for visitors from different countries , depending on how those countries are managing the virus , though experts acknowledge partial bans and quarantine requirements could create challenges and anger .
Beland nonetheless believes Canadians will need to accept that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel , similar to how the 9/11 terrorist attacks led to increased security measures .
6 .
Are local communities are educated , engaged and empowered to adjust to the `` new norm '' ?
What the experts say : Canadians have been inundated with warnings from political leaders and public health experts for weeks now to be prepared for bad news .
Trudeau has not been shy about making sure people know that until there is a vaccine , we are all going to have to get used to having at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Canada , most experts think the number of cases is going to peak this month .
The data based on the limited epidemiology Canada has shows the number of cases was doubling every three to four days in the last two weeks of March , but had slowed to doubling every five to eight days in the first two weeks of April .
But officials also warn of more than one wave , with flare-ups and new infections continuing for months .
A vaccine is at least 12 to 18 months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' really means longer-term adjustments to limit the impact of those new outbreaks .
There have been warnings from some experts around the world that things like live concerts and massive public gatherings for sporting events wo n't be safe for months to come .
Hoffman said he thinks Canadians must get ready for an up-and-down scenario , `` where first the government lessens these restrictions and then a couple weeks later has to tighten them again in light of new data and new information about where spread is happening or how it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Canadian Press was first published April 14 , 2020 .
— With files from Mia Rabson and Lee Berthiaume in Ottawa , Kelly Geraldine Malone in Winnipeg , Cassandra Szklarski and Michelle McQuigge in Toronto , and Christopher Reynolds and Julian McKenzie in Montreal .

The WHO guidelines outline six areas officials must consider if they are to look at resuming activities. Here is where Canada stands on each of them.
"The way down is much slower than the way up," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said in a speech Monday. "That means control measures must be lifted slowly, and with control. It cannot happen all at once."
The World Health Organization is trying to inject some co-ordination into these decisions, releasing new guidelines Tuesday for what should be in place before easing restrictions.
Similar discussions are happening around the world, as many countries are starting to show some positive signs of slowing the spread of COVID-19 — even as experts warn limited testing in most places could be masking the real picture of the disease.
Federal and provincial officials are starting to discuss how and when to start reopening schools and businesses but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned Tuesday the full-scale lockdowns most Canadians are living with right now will remain in place for at least several more weeks.
What the experts say: Eleanor Fish, a professor of immunology at the University of Toronto, said testing must become much more widespread before we really understand the state of community transmission.
"We may see some short-term gains if we did ease up on some of these restrictions," she said. "But in the long run if we end up with an out-of-control situation with COVID, the economy will take much, much longer to recover ."
Thompson also said it's time to stop thinking of the pandemic in terms of health versus the economy. If there isn't a healthy workforce the economy will continue to suffer, she said.
If restrictions are removed too quickly, thousands of people with COVID-19, who may not know they are infected, could potentially spread it fast and wide, she said.
"We have to make sure it actually is levelling off, or that community transmission has actually ground to a halt, which can take quite awhile," she said.
Alison Thompson, a public health professor in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto, said it takes a significant amount of time between a confirmed infection and fully tracing a person's contacts and testing them, to know whether that confirmed infection has resulted in many more infections.
What the experts say: Timothy Sly, professor emeritus at Ryerson University's school of occupational and public health, said Canada has done "an abysmal job" at testing and tracing.
2. Is the health-care system equipped to detect, test, isolate and treat every case, and trace every person who came into contact with a positive case?
"We have a situation now essentially where we're groping along in the dark in terms of finding out who in fact is virus positive and who's virus negative. We've done an abysmal job at that," said Sly, who specializes in epidemiology.
Sly pointed to an especially woeful rate in Ontario where Premier Doug Ford has vowed to perform 8,000 tests daily by Wednesday, up from about 5,000. Alberta is among Canada's testing leaders with about 7,400 tests conducted daily, which Sly said is still not enough.
Still, he acknowledged there have been hurdles beyond Canada's control that have handcuffed efforts — notably, global shortages of equipment including swabs and laboratory chemicals needed to process test samples.
Sly said Health Canada's recent approval of a rapid, mobile hand-held testing device from an Ottawa company should help, as will a series of expanded testing criteria that various provinces have adopted in recent days.
Jianhong Wu, a distinguished research professor at York University who has led multiple national projects on SARS, pandemic influenza and immunization evaluation, said there is a close relationship between contact tracing, testing and social distancing.
"If you don't do well in one component, you need to significantly magnify your effort in other components," he said.
Sly said provinces are largely trying to contact people exposed to a confirmed case by telephone, which is not sustainable given the soaring number of cases.
He pointed to countries such as South Korea, which have employed cellphone data to track possible contacts. He said that is much more effective, but it would raise privacy issues.
"People are going to be hollering and screaming about that but it does seem to work," he said.
3. Are outbreaks minimized in special settings like health facilities and nursing homes?
Short answer: No.
What the experts say: Risks remain dangerously high in hundreds of nursing homes across the country.
Quebec, where long-term care centres have been particularly hard hit, announced Tuesday that inspections have identified 41 seniors residences that require special monitoring because of a high number of COVID-19 cases. Premier Francois Legault on Tuesday appealed for people with experience in health care to help out in understaffed long-term care facilities.
Canada's chief public health officer, Theresa Tam, said Monday nearly half of the country's deaths from the novel coronavirus have come from long-term care facilities, and she predicted the number will increase despite provinces' efforts to fight the problem.
Twenty-nine residents in a 65-bed nursing home in Bobcaygeon, Ont., have died amid the pandemic. Another facility in Toronto recorded 22 deaths by Monday, while the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver, B.C., has had 18 residents die. In many facilities workers are also getting sick in high numbers.
After the Lynn Valley Care Centre outbreak, British Columbia moved to stop staff from working in multiple facilities as a way to slow the spread of the virus. Ontario made the same move Tuesday.
Isaac Bogoch, an infectious-disease specialist at the University of Toronto and the University Health Network, feels that strategy, along with limiting visits with seniors and infection-prevention methods, could go a long way in minimizing risks for possible subsequent waves of COVID-19 among the elderly.
Canada now has guidelines for helping to protect long-term care residents and workers, but Tam indicated this week the outbreaks are the biggest concern that has arisen in Canada's COVID-19 situation over the last two weeks.
4. Are there measures in workplaces and schools to prevent the spread of the virus?
Short answer: Not yet.
What the experts say about workplaces: In most provinces, only essential businesses like grocery stores and pharmacies can remain open. All others must operate with employees working from home. If they can't do that, they must close. Restaurants can generally only allow takeout or delivery.
Many businesses report being too focused on setting their employees up to work from home, and haven't yet begun to think about what to do to reopen.
Provinces and business groups say it's too early to speculate on which measures can be lifted. Any shift in approach would come at the advice of the chief medical health officer "and with extreme caution so as to avoid a resurgence of the virus as has been seen in other jurisdictions," said Hayley Chazan, a spokeswoman for Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce says it wants clear advice from public health authorities before restrictions loosen.
"We fully expect that there will unfortunately be an instance where an employee does test positive. What does that mean for the workplace? Does there have to be a total shutdown? A deep clean?" asked Mark Agnew, the chamber's senior director of international policy.
Sector-specific rules will remain critical as the lockdown starts to lift, he said, noting that retailers, meat processors and refrigerator technicians might all require different protocols around physical distancing and personal protective equipment.
What the experts say about schools: Kids, while less susceptible to the novel coronavirus, are well equipped to transmit it.
"Children are generally less compliant with effective hand hygiene, and they don't necessarily control their secretions," said Dr. Nisha Thampi, infection prevention and control lead at Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa. "That presents an exposure risk to the staff as well as to other children."
The Public Health Agency of Canada has stopped short of recommending specific changes schools could make to their operations, but did offer more general guidance for schools in February, before Canada began to really experience the impact of COVID-19. That included regular hand-washing and supervised use of hand sanitizer, education on proper "respiratory etiquette" such as covering coughs and sneezes, ramped-up cleaning and disinfection routines within school buildings, and reinforcement of "no sharing" policies.
Thampi said medical experts will also have to craft advice that strikes a balance between student safety and developmental needs.
"Children have always seen school as being a social environment," she said, adding many are no longer getting that kind of stimulation in the era of physical distancing. "How can we be sensitive to that while also teaching them about infection-prevention strategies?"
5. Are the risks of importing more cases from outside the country being managed?
Short answer: Mostly yes.
What the experts say: The federal government has adopted once-unthinkable measures over the past month to keep more cases of COVID-19 from arriving in Canada. Those include banning most non-Canadians from entering the country and a 14-day mandatory quarantine for anyone who does.
On Tuesday, Ottawa upped that game again, now requiring anyone arriving to explain their quarantine plan and if it's not good enough, they will be forced to stay in federal sites.
The trouble is that Canada is heavily reliant from both an economic and social perspective on foreign trade and immigration. That means it can't keep the border closed forever.
"We have done a lot, but economically it's not sustainable," said Daniel Beland, director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada.
Experts say there is a variety of potential avenues to reopen the border and manage the risk.
Being able to screen potential visitors, preferably with on-the-spot testing at airports and other ports of entry, would make it much easier to identify carriers and either bar them from coming into Canada or put them into quarantine.
Steven J. Hoffman, a York University professor and the scientific director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Institute of Population and Public Health, said the 14-day quarantine "could be the enabler that allows government to reopen our borders, particularly if that system is really up and running and fully implemented. And enforced in a way that we can have confidence in it."
There could also be more targeted travel restrictions for visitors from different countries, depending on how those countries are managing the virus, though experts acknowledge partial bans and quarantine requirements could create challenges and anger.
Beland nonetheless believes Canadians will need to accept that there will be changes in the way they travel, similar to how the 9/11 terrorist attacks led to increased security measures.
6. Are local communities are educated, engaged and empowered to adjust to the "new norm"?
Short answer: Maybe
What the experts say: Canadians have been inundated with warnings from political leaders and public health experts for weeks now to be prepared for bad news. Trudeau has not been shy about making sure people know that until there is a vaccine, we are all going to have to get used to having at least some restrictions on our movements and behaviours.
In Canada, most experts think the number of cases is going to peak this month. The data based on the limited epidemiology Canada has shows the number of cases was doubling every three to four days in the last two weeks of March, but had slowed to doubling every five to eight days in the first two weeks of April.
But officials also warn of more than one wave, with flare-ups and new infections continuing for months. A vaccine is at least 12 to 18 months away, and the "new norm" really means longer-term adjustments to limit the impact of those new outbreaks.
There have been warnings from some experts around the world that things like live concerts and massive public gatherings for sporting events won't be safe for months to come.
Hoffman said he thinks Canadians must get ready for an up-and-down scenario, "where first the government lessens these restrictions and then a couple weeks later has to tighten them again in light of new data and new information about where spread is happening or how it's happening."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2020.
— With files from Mia Rabson and Lee Berthiaume in Ottawa, Kelly Geraldine Malone in Winnipeg, Cassandra Szklarski and Michelle McQuigge in Toronto, and Christopher Reynolds and Julian McKenzie in Montreal.


nationalobserver--2020-04-17--David Suzuki on applying COVID-19's lessons to climate change

David Suzuki put more than 350 people on hold Thursday evening after spotting salmon leaping in the ocean through the window of the Quadra Island home where he ’ s currently riding out the coronavirus pandemic .
Canada 's best-known environmental activist , scientist and broadcaster was participating in a Zoom call hosted by National Observer to discuss the intersection of COVID-19 and climate change .
But unable to contain his excitement , the 84-year-old naturalist wandered off-screen to alert his family to the beauty unfolding before him .
The moment only underscored the point he ’ d been making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and editor-in-chief Linda Solomon Wood , that despite the havoc COVID-19 is wreaking on people and their families , public health and economies worldwide , the virus was providing a breather for the environment .
“ I was looking up at the sky today , and it was filled with geese … we ’ ve had pods of killer whales coming through , and I have the sense that Mother Earth is saying , ‘ Phew , thank God , these busy people are giving me a break , ’ ” Suzuki said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who live in places like Shanghai and Beijing , in Delhi or Bombay , are looking up and seeing what it can be like when air is the way it should be , invisible and odourless.
” • Trudeau , G7 leaders confront Trump over cuts to WHO funding The pause of human activity has allowed nature some rebound , he said .
Suzuki acknowledged the burden millions of people are facing , but noted once the pandemic subsides , there is an opening to respond differently to climate change .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it ’ s a time when we can discover community , ” he said .
“ It ’ s a huge opportunity , now , to say , ‘ What the hell have we done wrong that got us into this mess , and how do we go about getting out of it ?
’ ” And that does n't mean trying to re-establish yesterday ’ s economy , but redesigning it for the future , in a way that values the common fundamentals of life such as air , water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the natural world are not flexible , but the economy is a human construct that can be adapted , Suzuki said .
“ Let ’ s change the damn thing so it makes some sense , ” he said .
Asked what he ’ d say to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in relation to tackling the climate crisis , Suzuki replied he ’ s stopped talking to Trudeau about climate .
“ The COVID crisis is a crisis for human beings , but the climate crisis is a crisis for life on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importance of battling climate change .
There was much adulation and hopefulness about Trudeau ’ s environmental commitment after his election and following Canada ’ s signing onto the Paris Agreement on climate change , he noted .
“ But then he bought a pipeline , ” Suzuki said .
The federal government ’ s $ 4.5-billion buyout of Kinder Morgan ’ s struggling Trans Mountain pipeline demonstrates politics trump the environment , even if the results have lasting reverberations for future generations , he observed .
“ Even the future for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second to the political reality that his highest priority is getting re-elected , ” Suzuki said .
People must stop looking to political leaders to lead change when it comes to the climate crisis , he said .
Suzuki cited various examples of the Canadian government ’ s dismal performance in protecting the environment over the three decades since scientists first sounded the climate-change alarm at the Toronto Conference on the Changing Atmosphere in 1988 .
“ The political system can not deal with ( the climate crisis ) unless civil society rises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Suzuki said .
“ Then , they will jump on board.
” Massive efforts on the part of the public are critical , Suzuki said , pointing to the half-million demonstrators who accompanied Greta Thunberg in the global march for climate action this past September .
“ Dammit all if that isn ’ t a demonstration that politicians will pay attention to , ” he said .
Suzuki figured if just 3.5 per cent of the global population truly committed to pushing for climate action , it would make a huge difference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listening to scientists about coronavirus , but not about climate change , Suzuki cited government ’ s short-sightedness .
“ When bodies are being carted out to the crematorium or the graveyard , you respond in a different way to something that is 10 years , 15 years down the line.
” But we have to engage as if we are at war with climate crisis , he said .
“ This is the existential crisis of our time .
And once you commit to saying that this is the target … then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lessons from government ’ s rapid response to COVID-19 that could be applied to climate action , Suzuki said .
“ Yes , absolutely , if we took climate as seriously as the COVID crisis .
And quite frankly , in my view , the climate crisis is , in orders of magnitude , a greater threat , ” he said .
“ The COVID crisis is a crisis for human beings , but the climate crisis is a crisis for life on the planet.
” Government ’ s measures and responses to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unimaginable before the pandemic , he said .
It demonstrates huge opportunities to stem climate change , Suzuki said .
“ I think the important thing is you make the commitment to solve it , ” he said .
“ Then , you pull out all the stops — the old rules and constraints no longer apply.
” [ Editor 's Note : On Friday , the day after the interview with Suzuki , Canada announced it would put a combined $ 2.5 billion toward cleaning up thousands of contaminated oil and gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saskatchewan and to cutting a potent form of carbon pollution .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he wanted to support the industry 's workers and their families , help oil and gas companies avoid bankruptcy , while supporting his government ’ s environmental goals .
The David Suzuki Foundation issued a statement lauding the Trudeau government 's action . ]

David Suzuki put more than 350 people on hold Thursday evening after spotting salmon leaping in the ocean through the window of the Quadra Island home where he’s currently riding out the coronavirus pandemic. Canada's best-known environmental activist, scientist and broadcaster was participating in a Zoom call hosted by National Observer to discuss the intersection of COVID-19 and climate change. But unable to contain his excitement, the 84-year-old naturalist wandered off-screen to alert his family to the beauty unfolding before him. Video of Linda Solomon Wood in conversation with David Suzuki David Suzuki in conversation with Canada's National Observer editor-in-chief Linda Solomon Wood on April 16.
The moment only underscored the point he’d been making during his conversation with National Observer CEO and editor-in-chief Linda Solomon Wood, that despite the havoc COVID-19 is wreaking on people and their families, public health and economies worldwide, the virus was providing a breather for the environment. “I was looking up at the sky today, and it was filled with geese … we’ve had pods of killer whales coming through, and I have the sense that Mother Earth is saying, ‘Phew, thank God, these busy people are giving me a break,’” Suzuki said. “And I hope that people who live in places like Shanghai and Beijing, in Delhi or Bombay, are looking up and seeing what it can be like when air is the way it should be, invisible and odourless.” Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The pause of human activity has allowed nature some rebound, he said.
Suzuki acknowledged the burden millions of people are facing, but noted once the pandemic subsides, there is an opening to respond differently to climate change. “The COVID crisis is a crisis for human beings, but the climate crisis is a crisis for life on the planet.” David Suzuki on the importance of battling climate change. “This is a very, very tough time, but it’s a time when we can discover community,” he said. “It’s a huge opportunity, now, to say, ‘What the hell have we done wrong that got us into this mess, and how do we go about getting out of it?’” And that doesn't mean trying to re-establish yesterday’s economy, but redesigning it for the future, in a way that values the common fundamentals of life such as air, water and food. The constraints and laws of the natural world are not flexible, but the economy is a human construct that can be adapted, Suzuki said. “Let’s change the damn thing so it makes some sense,” he said. Asked what he’d say to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in relation to tackling the climate crisis, Suzuki replied he’s stopped talking to Trudeau about climate.
There was much adulation and hopefulness about Trudeau’s environmental commitment after his election and following Canada’s signing onto the Paris Agreement on climate change, he noted. “But then he bought a pipeline,” Suzuki said. The federal government’s $4.5-billion buyout of Kinder Morgan’s struggling Trans Mountain pipeline demonstrates politics trump the environment, even if the results have lasting reverberations for future generations, he observed.


nationalobserver--2020-04-18--Northern industry looks past the pandemic

The shutdowns of Cameco ’ s Cigar Lake uranium mine west of Wollaston Lake , the Seabee gold mine north of La Ronge and others late last month have created a ripple effect through the northern economy .
“ Every sector is impacted .
We ’ ve talked about looking for investments in the past several years that are resilient and now , after this pandemic , we 're going to have to look again at what that definition means , ” Athabasca Basin Development CEO Geoff Gay said .
Businesses built around mining — even those with diversified portfolios @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 pandemic takes its toll on northern industry .
The impact on Canada ’ s economy has been felt at every level across the country .
“ There will be companies that maybe hold their own , but there ’ s not going to be any companies that look back and see that there ’ s an increase in volumes or anything like that , ” he said .
Gay said none of the businesses ’ investments will benefit from this situation , although some are holding ground .
Even businesses with diversified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the ups and down of the mining industry have n't been able to bounce back , or rely on other markets , like they once would have .
Now , it has stakes in industries throughout Canada including , in addition to mining services , aviation , insurance , food distribution and cannabis retail .
This helped weather the periodic downturns associated with mining .
“ While we had our first two drops , we always rebounded .
When the last drop happened , we went on a path of diversification , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ups and downs in mining , Gay said , the company diversified into other sectors not linked to resource extraction .
The company was founded in 2002 primarily to service the uranium-mining industry .
It learned its lesson after three major drops in volume between 2003 and 2015 .
Athabasca Basin Development is a leading entrepreneurial investment company in the Far North region of Saskatchewan .
It ’ s co-owned by seven Far North communities in Saskatchewan , including three Indigenous communities and four non-Indigenous communities along Lake Athabasca and Wollaston Lake .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s gross domestic product ( GDP ) sank by an estimated nine per cent in March .
It ’ s the sharpest one-month drop since such calculations started in 1961 .
“ Every business in the world is going through this , so the chances of you diversifying and changing your business model overnight is just not possible , ” Gay said .
“ The biggest difference from the other ( economic downturns ) , of course , is public health .
Everybody ’ s health is at risk from this .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ...
I mean , we ’ re getting changes in business volumes and changes in the way we do business on almost an hourly basis , ” Gay said .
And this time , things are different .
This time , diversification makes little difference because everything crashed at the same time and without warning .
 “ Our first major drop was in 2006 , when the Cigar Lake mine flood occurred .
So we saw a 30 per cent drop at that time , but because of the momentum of construction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly rebound .
“ And then , soon after that , in 2008 , the financial crisis hit and our basket of companies collectively again dropped another 30 per cent , but again we were able to recover from that.
” He said even though the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster hit in 2011 and “ the tone for uranium switched , a lot of our companies were still building and finishing up Cigar Lake and a lot of the capital projects.
” Diversification helped , he said — when other drops in volume @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t across the board .
“ It has been a grind in northern Saskatchewan and Western Canada really for the past six years , ” Gay said .
“ So now , we ’ re entering into this pandemic ... this one has been the most severe of all of them.
” Gay said Athabasca companies associated with mining and aviation are down 30 per cent right now .
“ It impacts the work that we have left and the work that has disappeared has been so sudden and severe , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from directly servicing mines as well in the extensive economy that ’ s built up around them .
“ We ’ ve obviously had people lose their jobs directly at the mine sites , but in the case of aviation , we have mechanics and staff and what have you supporting that service from elsewhere that there ’ s an impact on as well , ” he said .
Brooke Dobni , professor of strategy at the University of Saskatchewan ’ s Edwards School of Business , said a lot of the companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ this is the perfect storm or the worst of all storms for them.
” “ I ’ ve been having lots of discussions with my clients across Canada and the U.S. ( and ) a lot of them are going to take this opportunity to redefine what it is they ’ re doing .
And it might not be by choice — it might be by necessity , ” Dobni said .
Gary Vidal , Conservative MP for the riding of Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River , called it “ a huge challenge for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures you want to take to try to protect yourself from all of this , but this is economy-wide , so it 's going to be really hard for anybody to avoid it completely , ” he said .
Gay said it ’ s getting to the point where more uranium will be needed in the world and , presumably , Saskatchewan is going to be one of the players in producing it .
“ We have a workforce from the North that will participate , we have companies that will be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some ways , once we get past this pandemic , we ’ ll have to wait and see what the fundamentals of the uranium industry look like.
” In five years ’ time , Gay said , “ Athabasca Basin ’ s going to be in a stronger position than it is today .
In the short term , the health of everyone is our top priority and we totally understand all the measures being taken.
” Eventually , he said , this will end and everyone will reflect on how to better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that health is the No .
1 priority at this moment , and we really want to see this pandemic end so we can get back to employing and training Indigenous employees from the North and beyond , ” Gay said .
“ We want to build value for our communities through these companies , and we want to be able to continue to contribute to good causes like we have in the past.
” Dobni said this is a time for people to redefine themselves as far as how they want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve talked to says they can hardly wait to get back to normal .
Well , that ’ s the wrong thinking .
I think it ’ s an opportunity to do something better and come out of this stronger .
I ’ m hopeful people will be patient and do what they need to do .
And I think we ’ re doing that now with social distancing , ” he said .
Dobni said organizations need to take stock of what ’ s important and re-evaluate priorities just like we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there will be a return to the same kind of normal that many anticipate .
“ As humans , we ’ ve made some decisions ( because of the pandemic ) and I think some of those decisions are going to be permanent .
So even after this all goes away , are we going to consume differently ?
” he said .
“ I think there ’ s going to be some attitudinal restructuring , and I think organizations have to think about what that looks like .
What does the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things do reopen , I ’ m not sure that people are going to go back and consume the way they used to , because they ’ ve kind of gotten used to ( living with less ) .
”

Even businesses with diversified portfolios that have tried to protect themselves from the ups and down of the mining industry haven't been able to bounce back, or rely on other markets, like they once would have.
The shutdowns of Cameco’s Cigar Lake uranium mine west of Wollaston Lake, the Seabee gold mine north of La Ronge and others late last month have created a ripple effect through the northern economy.
“Every sector is impacted. We’ve talked about looking for investments in the past several years that are resilient and now, after this pandemic, we're going to have to look again at what that definition means,” Athabasca Basin Development CEO Geoff Gay said.
Businesses built around mining — even those with diversified portfolios — are in sharp decline as the COVID-19 pandemic takes its toll on northern industry.
The impact on Canada’s economy has been felt at every level across the country.
“There will be companies that maybe hold their own, but there’s not going to be any companies that look back and see that there’s an increase in volumes or anything like that,” he said.
Gay said none of the businesses’ investments will benefit from this situation, although some are holding ground.
Because of the ups and downs in mining, Gay said, the company diversified into other sectors not linked to resource extraction.
The company was founded in 2002 primarily to service the uranium-mining industry. It learned its lesson after three major drops in volume between 2003 and 2015.
Athabasca Basin Development is a leading entrepreneurial investment company in the Far North region of Saskatchewan. It’s co-owned by seven Far North communities in Saskatchewan, including three Indigenous communities and four non-Indigenous communities along Lake Athabasca and Wollaston Lake.
Statistics Canada announced Wednesday that Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) sank by an estimated nine per cent in March. It’s the sharpest one-month drop since such calculations started in 1961.
Now, it has stakes in industries throughout Canada including, in addition to mining services, aviation, insurance, food distribution and cannabis retail. This helped weather the periodic downturns associated with mining.
“While we had our first two drops, we always rebounded. When the last drop happened, we went on a path of diversification,” Gay said.
But then COVID-19 hit.
And this time, things are different. This time, diversification makes little difference because everything crashed at the same time and without warning.
“The biggest difference from the other (economic downturns), of course, is public health. Everybody’s health is at risk from this. And also the speed at which it happened ... I mean, we’re getting changes in business volumes and changes in the way we do business on almost an hourly basis,” Gay said.
“Every business in the world is going through this, so the chances of you diversifying and changing your business model overnight is just not possible,” Gay said.
Aviation is one of the sectors hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Photograph courtesy of Athabasca Basin Development.
“Our first major drop was in 2006, when the Cigar Lake mine flood occurred. So we saw a 30 per cent drop at that time, but because of the momentum of construction going on ... we were able to quickly rebound.
“And then, soon after that, in 2008, the financial crisis hit and our basket of companies collectively again dropped another 30 per cent, but again we were able to recover from that.”
He said even though the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster hit in 2011 and “the tone for uranium switched, a lot of our companies were still building and finishing up Cigar Lake and a lot of the capital projects.”
Diversification helped, he said — when other drops in volume happened in one place, they weren’t across the board.
“It has been a grind in northern Saskatchewan and Western Canada really for the past six years,” Gay said.
“So now, we’re entering into this pandemic ... this one has been the most severe of all of them.”
Gay said Athabasca companies associated with mining and aviation are down 30 per cent right now.
“It impacts the work that we have left and the work that has disappeared has been so sudden and severe,” Gay said.
Jobs have been lost from directly servicing mines as well in the extensive economy that’s built up around them.
“We’ve obviously had people lose their jobs directly at the mine sites, but in the case of aviation, we have mechanics and staff and what have you supporting that service from elsewhere that there’s an impact on as well,” he said.
A drilling team operate underground. Photograph courtesy of Athabasca Basin Development.
Brooke Dobni, professor of strategy at the University of Saskatchewan’s Edwards School of Business, said a lot of the companies in northern Saskatchewan are closely connected, and “this is the perfect storm or the worst of all storms for them.”
“I’ve been having lots of discussions with my clients across Canada and the U.S. (and) a lot of them are going to take this opportunity to redefine what it is they’re doing. And it might not be by choice — it might be by necessity,” Dobni said.
Gary Vidal, Conservative MP for the riding of Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, called it “a huge challenge for everybody.”
“You can take whatever measures you want to take to try to protect yourself from all of this, but this is economy-wide, so it's going to be really hard for anybody to avoid it completely,” he said.
A brighter future?
Gay said it’s getting to the point where more uranium will be needed in the world and, presumably, Saskatchewan is going to be one of the players in producing it.
“We have a workforce from the North that will participate, we have companies that will be able to participate, (but) in some ways, once we get past this pandemic, we’ll have to wait and see what the fundamentals of the uranium industry look like.”
Workers in training at Points Athabasca. Photograph courtesy of Athabasca Basin Development.
In five years’ time, Gay said, “Athabasca Basin’s going to be in a stronger position than it is today. In the short term, the health of everyone is our top priority and we totally understand all the measures being taken.”
Eventually, he said, this will end and everyone will reflect on how to better prepare for pandemics.
“We know that health is the No. 1 priority at this moment, and we really want to see this pandemic end so we can get back to employing and training Indigenous employees from the North and beyond,” Gay said.
“We want to build value for our communities through these companies, and we want to be able to continue to contribute to good causes like we have in the past.”
Dobni said this is a time for people to redefine themselves as far as how they want to live.
“Every business I’ve talked to says they can hardly wait to get back to normal. Well, that’s the wrong thinking. I think it’s an opportunity to do something better and come out of this stronger. I’m hopeful people will be patient and do what they need to do. And I think we’re doing that now with social distancing,” he said.
Dobni said organizations need to take stock of what’s important and re-evaluate priorities just like we have as humans. He doesn't think there will be a return to the same kind of normal that many anticipate.
“As humans, we’ve made some decisions (because of the pandemic) and I think some of those decisions are going to be permanent. So even after this all goes away, are we going to consume differently?” he said.
“I think there’s going to be some attitudinal restructuring, and I think organizations have to think about what that looks like. What does the new consumer look like? Because even when things do reopen, I’m not sure that people are going to go back and consume the way they used to, because they’ve kind of gotten used to (living with less).”


nationalobserver--2020-04-18--Canada economy in tailspin due to COVID-19 and Liberals pledge more aid

The federal government is rolling out billions of dollars in new financial help targeting hard-hit sectors of the economy , acknowledging that some companies need more support and others are slipping through the safety net of emergency aid meant to help them through the COVID-19 pandemic .
The combined package of spending and loans will target the oil and gas sector , small companies that have n't been able to access existing loan programs , and start-ups that had just got off the ground before the pandemic struck last month .
Since then , the economy has gone into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government has provided about the Canada Emergency Response Benefit , which will now be updated and published regularly , show the program has paid out $ 17.35 billion .
The Liberals budgeted $ 24 billion for the program , which provides $ 2,000 a month to eligible workers to a maximum of 16 weeks .
So far , there have been almost 6.4 million applicants for the program , which is to expand to capture seasonal workers and those who have seen steep drops in their earnings .
• Trudeau , G7 leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government has n't provided an updated cost estimate for the program since the promised expansion made earlier this week , saying revised numbers depend on how many of those workers are rehired by companies that receive help through a separate $ 73-billion wage subsidy program that will begin paying out the first week of May .
Speaking at a midday press conference , Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the government was working on additional measures for businesses to bridge the downturn .
He rejected the idea of taking ownership stakes in big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did with automakers during the economic crisis just over a decade ago , saying that 's not what the companies want now .
What they want and need is access to credit , Morneau said , suggesting that government-backed or low-interest loan programs could be used for other sectors in need of extra help , like restaurants , tourism and air travel .
`` I think you 'll see similar approaches in everything we 're doing , '' Morneau said via videoconference Friday .
`` We 're trying to make sure that credit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the financial institutions that organizations large and small already have relationships with . ''
Liberals pledge financial aid to sectors of economy hit hard by COVID-19 On Friday morning , the Liberals announced a slew of new programs that totalled nearly $ 4.2 billion .
There will $ 1.7 billion sent to Alberta , Saskatchewan and British Columbia to help clean up `` orphaned wells '' in those oil-producing provinces , and a $ 750-million fund to cut methane emissions by providing loans to companies .
Speaking outside his Ottawa residence , Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the spending to maintain 10,000 jobs across the country in the oil sector as it faces plummeting prices from decreased demand and a glut of global supply from a price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia .
`` Certain industries are facing even more difficult times , '' Trudeau said .
`` The oil and gas sector , because of the global price war , because of the lowered demand related to COVID and because of the measures brought in to counter COVID itself , those families are particularly hard-hit . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ million to help small businesses that do n't have relationships with traditional financial institutions , and a further $ 287 million for companies in rural parts of the country .
The money will flow through regional development agencies that will give `` equivalent bridge financing support '' and access to capital , the government said in details released Friday afternoon .
A further $ 270 million was pledged for entrepreneurs and early-stage research companies that do n't qualify for the wage subsidy or existing loan programs , yet still need the help .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ months of payment relief for those who have loans from Futurpreneur Canada , a non-profit organization .
And $ 500 million more will be doled out for the arts and culture industries through contribution agreements , with the broad details of the program suggesting it will be in the form of loans with friendly terms .
Trudeau and provincial premiers spoke this week about how to begin reopening sectors of the economy in phases .

The federal government is rolling out billions of dollars in new financial help targeting hard-hit sectors of the economy, acknowledging that some companies need more support and others are slipping through the safety net of emergency aid meant to help them through the COVID-19 pandemic. The combined package of spending and loans will target the oil and gas sector, small companies that haven't been able to access existing loan programs, and start-ups that had just got off the ground before the pandemic struck last month. Since then, the economy has gone into a tailspin. The latest figures the federal government has provided about the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which will now be updated and published regularly, show the program has paid out $17.35 billion. The Liberals budgeted $24 billion for the program, which provides $2,000 a month to eligible workers to a maximum of 16 weeks. So far, there have been almost 6.4 million applicants for the program, which is to expand to capture seasonal workers and those who have seen steep drops in their earnings.
The government hasn't provided an updated cost estimate for the program since the promised expansion made earlier this week, saying revised numbers depend on how many of those workers are rehired by companies that receive help through a separate $73-billion wage subsidy program that will begin paying out the first week of May. Speaking at a midday press conference, Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the government was working on additional measures for businesses to bridge the downturn. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions He rejected the idea of taking ownership stakes in big businesses, as federal and provincial governments did with automakers during the economic crisis just over a decade ago, saying that's not what the companies want now.
What they want and need is access to credit, Morneau said, suggesting that government-backed or low-interest loan programs could be used for other sectors in need of extra help, like restaurants, tourism and air travel. Liberals pledge financial aid to sectors of economy hit hard by COVID-19 "I think you'll see similar approaches in everything we're doing," Morneau said via videoconference Friday. "We're trying to make sure that credit that gets delivered can be delivered through the financial institutions that organizations large and small already have relationships with." On Friday morning, the Liberals announced a slew of new programs that totalled nearly $4.2 billion. There will $1.7 billion sent to Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia to help clean up "orphaned wells" in those oil-producing provinces, and a $750-million fund to cut methane emissions by providing loans to companies.
Speaking outside his Ottawa residence, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government expects all the spending to maintain 10,000 jobs across the country in the oil sector as it faces plummeting prices from decreased demand and a glut of global supply from a price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia. "Certain industries are facing even more difficult times," Trudeau said. "The oil and gas sector, because of the global price war, because of the lowered demand related to COVID and because of the measures brought in to counter COVID itself, those families are particularly hard-hit."


nationalobserver--2020-04-19--Polluter bailouts and lobbying during Covid-19 pandemic

This story was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration Polluting industries around the world are using the coronavirus pandemic to gain billions of dollars in bailouts and to weaken and delay environmental protections .
The moves have been described as dangerous and irresponsible by senior figures .
They say the unprecedented sums of money being committed to the global recovery are a historic opportunity to tackle the climate crisis , but such action has not been taken to date .
In the EU , the farmers ’ association Copa-Cogeca called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fork ” strategy , which is aimed at making agriculture less polluting .
The call is backed by the rightwing EPP bloc , the largest group in the European parliament .
In Germany , its farming lobby pushed for an easing of environmental standards , particularly those restricting fertiliser use , which are intended to reduce pollution .
In the US , the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Cattlemen ’ s Beef Association lobbied heavily and won a $ 23.5bn bailout package .
Agricultural pollution is the cause of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gulf of Mexico .

This story was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration Polluting industries around the world are using the coronavirus pandemic to gain billions of dollars in bailouts and to weaken and delay environmental protections. The moves have been described as dangerous and irresponsible by senior figures. They say the unprecedented sums of money being committed to the global recovery are a historic opportunity to tackle the climate crisis, but such action has not been taken to date. Fossil fuels The fossil fuel industry, which already benefits from a $5tn-a-year subsidy, according to the IMF, has had the biggest wins during the coronavirus pandemic in the US and Canada.
Aviation A leaked letter from the International Air Transport Association describes its “aggressive” lobbying approach and includes a call for relief from corporate taxes, sales taxes, employer-paid payroll taxes and passenger ticket taxes. In the US, aviation got a $60bn bailout package and the suspension of many taxes. In the UK, major carrier easyJet got a £600m soft loan, weeks after its biggest shareholder received almost £60m in dividends.


nationalobserver--2020-04-19--Coronavirus has wiped out 106,000 clean energy jobs in the U.S. so far.

This story was originally published by Grist and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration In early March , when COVID-19 cases began popping up across the U.S. , the Philadelphia-based company Solar States was having a really good year , with at least six months ’ worth of contracts already lined up .
The 30-person company installs solar panels on homes and commercial buildings and hosts workforce training programs for high school students and unemployed Philadelphians , often hiring its graduates .
The fallout happened fast .
The first thing Solar States did was distribute masks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gold-Markel told Grist .
But with the number of cases going up and guidance from officials changing on a daily basis , soon the company was holding a meeting every morning at 6:30 AM to check in with the staff and rearrange crews based on who was still comfortable going into houses .
Eventually clients didn ’ t want workers coming inside at all .
The company considered continuing with whatever external work they could do , but a lot of clients were financing their panels through loans that would not pay out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Once people begin to move freely again , whenever that may be , Keefe is concerned that spending money on energy efficiency retrofits and solar panels will not be at the top of anyone ’ s list of priorities .
Advocates are calling on Congress not only to rescue clean energy firms in future recovery packages , but also to use the industry as an economic driver to help the country rebuild , as it did in 2009 with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act .
In an updated version of its 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what such a package should include : a $ 30 to $ 90 billion program to upgrade transmission lines , improving grid resilience and preparing it for widespread renewable energy deployment ; a program to build a national electric vehicle charging network ; a building electrification program .
The report also calls for increasing funding to various Department of Energy programs like job training and research and development .
Keefe believes some of these initiatives don ’ t need to wait until the threat of COVID-19 has passed .
“ Why can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or so people who work in grid modernization at utilities and in energy storage out there upgrading our ancient power grid in America ?
” he said .
“ You can do some pretty good social distancing when you ’ re a couple hundred feet up on a power line somewhere.
” Coronavirus has wiped out 106,000 clean energy jobs so far .
Can the US get them back ?
Advocates are also asking Congress to extend and expand federal clean energy investment tax credits .
Gold-Markel of Solar States said this was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clients it would get their projects done by the end of the year so they could take advantage of the 26 percent solar tax credit , which will be downgraded to 22 percent next year , and is set to expire entirely at the end of 2022 .
“ It ’ s going to be a much different value proposition for the customer if they don ’ t get it , ” he said , “ and it ’ s going to put us in a sticky situation.
” Despite getting the rug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gold-Markel thinks that in the long term , the solar industry will bounce back .
“ I think solar is inevitable .
It is the way of the future , ” he said .
“ I just don ’ t know whether this year we ’ ll recover right away , or it ’ s going to be next year , or the year after .
”

This story was originally published by Grist and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration In early March, when COVID-19 cases began popping up across the U.S., the Philadelphia-based company Solar States was having a really good year, with at least six months’ worth of contracts already lined up. The 30-person company installs solar panels on homes and commercial buildings and hosts workforce training programs for high school students and unemployed Philadelphians, often hiring its graduates. The fallout happened fast. The first thing Solar States did was distribute masks and gloves to workers, company founder Micah Gold-Markel told Grist. But with the number of cases going up and guidance from officials changing on a daily basis, soon the company was holding a meeting every morning at 6:30 AM to check in with the staff and rearrange crews based on who was still comfortable going into houses. Eventually clients didn’t want workers coming inside at all. The company considered continuing with whatever external work they could do, but a lot of clients were financing their panels through loans that would not pay out until the entire project was complete. “It was becoming a real logistical nightmare,” said Gold-Markel. By late March, there was no alternative — Solar States closed up shop. Gold-Markel said he applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan to be able to pay his employees through the crisis but hasn’t received anything yet. On Wednesday, the White House announced that funding for the program, which was part of the $2 trillion economic relief act passed less than two weeks ago, has already run out.
This story is not unique to Solar States, of course. All kinds of companies and their employees across the country experienced a similar free fall last month, and now 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment. But the clean energy sector has been hit especially hard. Solar States’ 30 laid-off employees are among more than 106,000 clean energy workers who lost their jobs in March, according to a new analysis released on Wednesday. BW Research Partnership, which performed the analysis, projected that number will go up to 500,000 by the end of June. According to E2, a clean energy advocacy group that commissioned the analysis, “clean energy” is a vast sector that employed nearly 3.4 million Americans in 2019. It includes more than 2 million jobs in energy efficiency, like weatherizing houses and manufacturing Energy Star appliances; half a million jobs in renewable energy, including solar, wind, hydropower, and geothermal; more than 250,000 jobs building hybrid and electric vehicles; about 150,000 jobs in power grid modernization and installing energy storage for the grid; and another 40,000 jobs in biofuels like ethanol and biomass. In total, clean energy workers outnumbered fossil fuel workers three to one last year. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “It’s a huge and important part of our economy,” E2 executive director Bob Keefe told Grist. “Anything that Congress does to get our economy back on its feet and to get America working again should absolutely include a focus on an industry of that size.”


nationalobserver--2020-04-19--Farmers enjoy new popularity as COVID-19 leads to fears of food instability

As Greg Gerrits hustles to keep up with the surging public appetite for his preserves and parsley roots , his emotions shift between hope and skepticism over the revival of smaller scale agriculture .
`` I 'm not sure how long this fascination with local produce will last , '' he said in an interview from the Elmridge Farm fields in Nova Scotia 's Annapolis Valley .
`` It would be nice to think people will learn something and support their local farmers , but humans do n't learn very easily . ''
The 49-year-old farmer of fruits and vegetables @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system , just as COVID-19 descended in March .
He and his wife Suzanne also tapped into a network of idled truck drivers to provide the deliveries from their 72-hectare operation in Centreville , N.S .
• 10 lessons from COVID-19 that could help us save the planet Sales on everything from carrots to pesto have quadrupled compared to last year , with a single week selling $ 3,000 , up from last year 's $ 500 .
Their new network is also bringing in fresh sales .
The third-generation farmer is aware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country , as the president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture recently urged Ottawa to `` prioritize food production '' amid abattoir closures and rising costs related to COVID-19 .
Yet , some East Coast market farmers remain cautious any revival of local production will be sustained .
Ann Huntley , a free-range beef , poultry and vegetable farmer in Scots Bay , N.S.
, has seen a quadrupling of her beef sales , from the equivalent of one animal a month to one per week .
`` When everything is so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become paramount , '' she said .
However , whether she and her husband should borrow $ 20,000 to $ 40,000 to increase her herd gives her pause , as the question remains whether the market will still be there when the cattle mature .
Farmers enjoy new popularity but worry 'buy local ' trend could be fickle `` There 's access to financing ( for ) small farms we have n't seen before , but you do n't want to jump into a whole world of debt amidst a pandemic , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't fit traditional stereotypes of farm market buyers say they 'll remain committed to the small vendors as time passes .
Jane Biekens , a chartered professional accountant , plans to increase her purchases of spray-free veggies from Port Williams , N.S.
, farmers Adam and Courtney Webster .
They arrive via a community supported agriculture drop-off .
`` I feel a lot safer buying vegetables that not a lot of people have touched , '' she said in a telephone interview .
The taste of organically grown produce is a factor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awaiting freshly harvested beets she grates onto salads , turns into soup and pickles in jars .
`` For me the purchasing will stay as a habit , '' she said .
However , Kevin Arseneau , a Green party member of the New Brunswick legislature , sees a need for government initiatives to bring a lasting restoration of small farming in the region .
He says for the past century Ottawa has accepted an export-oriented model of mass-produced produce at the expense of local food production .
Provinces such as New Brunswick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vegetables consumed there `` as cheaper imports have entered the retail marketplace , '' according to the government 's 2018 Local Food and Beverages Strategy .
Arseneau , who co-owns a Rogersville , N.B.
, vegetable farm , has issued a call for a loosening of pandemic restrictions on farmers markets that are currently required to have a maximum of five people in the sales area .
He said there 's no reason they ca n't create rules like supermarkets , allowing controlled numbers to file through the stalls .
`` Under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vendors in the market , then you ca n't let any people come inside .
Grocery stores are n't being treated by those rules , '' said the 34-year-old politician .
He 's also calling for a $ 4 per hour wage subsidy to help recruit local workers , interest-free loans for small farms , and an increase in the grants to small farms through the federally run Canadian Agricultural Partnership .
Gerrits notes that labour is also an issue because even smaller operations now rely on workers from the Caribbean and Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their flights were delayed due to concerns over the novel coronavirus , and the first to arrive in Nova Scotia are now mostly quarantined , leaving farmers concerned about falling behind in weeding and planting .
`` It 's a dance with Mother Nature and she leads , no questions asked .
Either keep up or forget it , '' Gerrits said .
Deborah Stiles , a retired professor of rural studies who taught at Dalhousie University 's agriculture department , says Atlantic Canada was largely self-sufficient in food prior to the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steady decline in sectors ranging from apples to sheep due to lower priced imports .
She said the movement to restore small farms began growing in the 1990s , when it was led by women 's organizations and organic farming networks , but the pandemic has given it a fresh push .
`` The key to the future is rebuilding regional foundations of self-sufficiency , '' she said .
`` Living locally now does n't mean not occasionally having an avocado or orange , but eating more consciously , and more often , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she wrote in an email .
There are signals provincial leaders are taking note .
At the conclusion of Thursday 's pandemic briefing , Premier Stephen McNeil took several minutes to acknowledge farmers , and noted his government has set up a program to hasten the arrival of the foreign field workers .
In New Brunswick , an all-party agriculture committee has been set up to consider ways to help the local food-production sector during the pandemic .
But for farmers like Gerrits , the jury is out on how much to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For local food production to recover and become securely established will require that consumers stay the course of buying local produce for a number of years , '' he said .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18 , 2020 .

As Greg Gerrits hustles to keep up with the surging public appetite for his preserves and parsley roots, his emotions shift between hope and skepticism over the revival of smaller scale agriculture. "I'm not sure how long this fascination with local produce will last," he said in an interview from the Elmridge Farm fields in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley. "It would be nice to think people will learn something and support their local farmers, but humans don't learn very easily." The 49-year-old farmer of fruits and vegetables managed to recently launch an online sales system, just as COVID-19 descended in March. He and his wife Suzanne also tapped into a network of idled truck drivers to provide the deliveries from their 72-hectare operation in Centreville, N.S.
Sales on everything from carrots to pesto have quadrupled compared to last year, with a single week selling $3,000, up from last year's $500. Their new network is also bringing in fresh sales. The third-generation farmer is aware food security is a growing concern across the country, as the president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture recently urged Ottawa to "prioritize food production" amid abattoir closures and rising costs related to COVID-19. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Yet, some East Coast market farmers remain cautious any revival of local production will be sustained.
Ann Huntley, a free-range beef, poultry and vegetable farmer in Scots Bay, N.S., has seen a quadrupling of her beef sales, from the equivalent of one animal a month to one per week. Farmers enjoy new popularity but worry 'buy local' trend could be fickle "When everything is so uncertain, shelter, food and clothing become paramount," she said. However, whether she and her husband should borrow $20,000 to $40,000 to increase her herd gives her pause, as the question remains whether the market will still be there when the cattle mature. "There's access to financing (for) small farms we haven't seen before, but you don't want to jump into a whole world of debt amidst a pandemic," the 42-year-old said. Some customers who don't fit traditional stereotypes of farm market buyers say they'll remain committed to the small vendors as time passes.
Jane Biekens, a chartered professional accountant, plans to increase her purchases of spray-free veggies from Port Williams, N.S., farmers Adam and Courtney Webster. They arrive via a community supported agriculture drop-off. "I feel a lot safer buying vegetables that not a lot of people have touched," she said in a telephone interview. The taste of organically grown produce is a factor as well. She already is eagerly awaiting freshly harvested beets she grates onto salads, turns into soup and pickles in jars.