Using words like terrifying, Ontario's NDP Leader is calling on the Ford government to implement what she calls a "circuit-breaker-style, targeted" shut down in the province's COVID-19 hot spots.
Ontario broke a new record Thursday when public health officials revealed 1,575 new cases. The previous record was set just 24 hours before with 1,426. Of those, 468 were in the Peel Region. Toronto had 384, and 180 were reported in the York Region.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said she wants the government to fully fund programs so businesses in those regions can return to a modified Stage 1. Restaurants and bars would close for in-house service, returning to delivery and curbside pickup. Small businesses deemed non-essential would also close for the two weeks.
She also demanded the province keep schools open but cap class sizes at 15 students.
Horwath said the effort would help break the chain of transmissions.
Her call comes after a Toronto Star report said Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Christine Elliot overruled the advice of public health experts when they decided to ease restrictions further. CBC News has quoted epidemiologists who are projecting the province could see upwards of 2,000 new cases daily next month.
"We've set new horrifying records in five of the last six days. Premier Ford is nixing public health measures far too fast," Horwath told reporters Thursday morning. "Mr. Ford is putting people's lives at risk. He's putting their health risk at risk under the complete false pretense that it helps businesses. Step one of saving people's jobs, saving the economy, is actually crush COVID-19."
She accused the premier of "caving to political pressure."
Asked why only scale back the economy in hotspots when cases are creeping upwards across Ontario, Horwath did not rule it out.
"At this point, the rapidity of spread and the volumes in the hot spots is what's driving the provincial numbers, and I think it's something that we have to keep an eye on a day-to-day basis," she said. "If there is a sense that your region is one that is worried about spikes, then that needs to be an option."
During a news conference in Hamilton Thursday afternoon, Premier Ford said they are taking a more balanced approach for the sake of the economy and people's mental health.
"The approach of just saying 'shut everything down' is not the approach we're taking. We're taking a balanced approach," said Ford. "The number one priority is the health and safety and right beside that is the economy."