Ontario’s Premier hasn’t made a final decision on whether or not people will be able to stay at their camps this summer if it’s not located in the community they currently reside in.
Doug Ford says he understands the frustration felt by people who pay taxes on their summer properties and want to use them.
“So if people are responsible and the numbers continue to go down and people bring their own food, don’t go to the stores and stay in their cottages…by May 24th there’s only so long I can hold the gates back from these people, there going to want to go to their vacation property, I understand,” Ford said.
Ford says he thinks his government has made the right decision on limiting cottagers at the moment but says it’s still a wait and see issue that will be decided at a later date.
Older students in elementary school and those in high school understand the need for physical distancing according to the Premier.
But the younger kids don’t understand why they can’t play with their friends, and that’s something Premier Ford and his government are considering when it comes to sending students back to school.
“So that’s something we really have to focus on especially if the decision is made and the decision hasn’t been made on if the kids will be going back to school in June sometime. We really have to monitor it,” Ford said.
The Premier reiterated they will continue to monitor the course of the pandemic before making a final decision about the fate of students.
Ford also suggests all businesses should be preparing and storing personal protective equipment for when they’ll be able to reopen during the pandemic.
He suggests retail stores should be planning no matter if they open in two weeks or several weeks from now.
“There’s the warning right now, it’s coming, the numbers keep going down, we got to get the economy going based on health and science. I have to keep emphasizing that, just because we open up these stores doesn’t mean it’s a free for all, we still need to follow the physical distancing rules and the instructions from the Chief Medical Officer,” Ford said.
The Premier’s comments come after some garden centres said they were caught off guard by the province’s decision to allow them to offer service starting today.
