Could Halton be next for COVID lockdown?

With York Region now joining Toronto, Peel, and Ottawa as a COVID hotspot now under pgase two lockdown orders, the next area of concern is Halton Region. Halton’s new COVID count soared by 45 cases—18 in Burlington, 14 in Oakville, 9 in Milton and 4 in Halton Hills. Ontario health officials are watching developments in Halton and today the Premier warned Halton that it could be next to back to Phase two if preventative measures are not followed.

Yesterday Burlington MPP Jane McKenna issued an open letter to residents of the GTA now under Phase Two to avoid coming into Halton Region in order to get around the Indoor dining and gym bans.

To help further minimize the spread in Burlington, we are respectfully asking our valued friends in neighbouring hot spot communities to voluntarily refrain from in-person visits to businesses outside their local area. We encourage those in our local community to continue supporting the many local businesses, as they have done throughout the pandemic.

When people travel outside of these hot spots, it defeats the purpose of the restriction, and minimizes our ability to contain the virus. Limiting discretionary travel is essential to preventing additional cases, and potentially avoiding further restrictions that will negatively impact the economic and physical health of more Ontarians.

“We appreciate the businesses who have voluntarily taken steps to communicate to their customers and ask for their cooperation and understanding by not travelling from hot spots to use non-hot spot facilities for the time being,” said Carla Nell, President and CEO of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce.

“We support the additional and targeted steps that have been taken by the Province to address sources of contagion in a more precise manner without unnecessarily impacting other activities and businesses,” said Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor of Burlington. “We are asking people to use common sense and good judgement, leverage digital and take-out options and hope to see our neighbouring communities benefit quickly from these measures, so they may continue to move forward in good health.”

“By working together to take proactive and strategic steps we can do our part to help slow the spread while protecting people’s lives and livelihoods,” said Jane McKenna, MPP for Burlington. “None of us want to see additional restrictions, that’s why we’re asking people in identified hot spots to avoid non-essential travel outside their area.”