THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay Mayor Bill Mauro said he’s happy with the regional approach the province is taking rolling back gathering size limits as COVID-19 case counts grow in southern Ontario.
On Thursday Premier Doug Ford announced gathering sizes in Peel Region, Ottawa and Toronto were being dropped to 25 for outdoor gatherings and 10 for indoor gatherings.
Fines have also been increased, up to $10,000 for those hosting large social gatherings that exceed the limits and $750 for those caught attending them.
In Northern Ontario, including Thunder Bay, gathering limits will remain at 50 for indoor events and 100 for outdoor events.
Mauro said he’s concerned to see numbers increasing in southern Ontario, especially with a widespread belief a second wave of COVID-19 cases will strike.
After dipping below 100 new cases a day earlier in the summer, the province on Thursday announced 293 new cases, slightly under previous day case reporting.
Mauro said it’s probably premature to call the rise in cases the second wave, but he is worried new cases could travel to Thunder Bay, where the Thunder Bay District Health Unit hasn’t reported a new case in more than two weeks.
“Please don’t get complacent,” Mauro said. “Don’t let your guard down, keep the masking, keep the physical distancing, because what’s going on there can happen here.”
The mayor cautioned if people don’t continue to take the virus seriously, the rollbacks could be applied to Thunder Bay.
The regional approach is the right one, at least for now, Mauro said.
“Previously as we went through this exercise, I was reluctant. I was looking for a pan-provincial approach. To this point we’ve done a good job. There are still no active cases here. So I think you could see supporting this approach by the province, where they would only make it localized to the hotspots,” Mauro said.
“But certainly we’d have to be nimble and quick to impose these restrictions and roll it back here in Thunder Bay if in fact we started to see similar experience here.”
Mauro said he’s hearing that many of the new cases are being discovered in younger people, but it’s something that will ultimately affect the entire community if it doesn’t remain under control.
“The message is the same as it’s always been – we need to respect physical distancing, use your masks when you’re required to wear your mask, be cautious and I think for all of us through the summer, it’s been easy for us to let our guards down and to get complacent,” Mauro said.
“And as the fall arrives, a second wave was predicted. It’s not here yet and let’s continue to do everything that we can to prevent it from happening.”
Ford said the decision to only apply the new restrictions in certain communities was at the behest of the mayors in those particular communities.
The new regulations include functions, parties, dinners, gatherings, barbecues or wedding receptions held in private residences, backyards, parks and other recreational areas.
The rules do not apply to gyms, restaurants or movie theatres.
"We have been working hand-in-hand with our medical officials and our mayors to try and slow down and limit new cases in the regions with the highest rates of transmission," said Minister of Health Christine Elliott in a release issued by the province.
"This targeted action is in direct response to the latest data, which tells us that increased cases are the result of private and social gatherings. By limiting the number of people permitted at a social gathering in these regions, we will reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep people safe."
