Premier Doug Ford is expected to announce today his government’s plan to shut down the province for at least a month due to a surge in COVID-19 cases and intensive care admissions, sources have confirmed to CTV News.
The shutdown, which is expected to begin on Saturday, will force all restaurants across the province to close for in-person dining. Gyms and personal care services must also cease operations, sources said.
Essential stores will remain open at 50 per cent capacity and non-essential retail can operate at 25 per cent capacity.
The move comes after intensive care admissions at Ontario hospitals reached a new high today, with at least 433 COVID-19 patients currently in the ICU.
Ontario has also reported more than 2,000 new infections for the past seven consecutive days, with the seven-day average of new cases hitting 2,316 on Wednesday.
The shutdown means restaurants in both Toronto and Peel Region, which opened for patio dining just two weeks ago, will now be forced to close once again. Restaurants will only be permitted to offer takeout and delivery during the shutdown.