‘Very little will change’ as Hamilton enters provincewide shutdown on Boxing Day, city official says
The entire province will join grey zone" regions, such as Hamilton, Toronto and Peel, in a provincewide lockdown starting on Boxing Day.
Effective on Monday, Hamilton is already in the grey zone, which prohibits indoor gathering, dining and shopping - other than essentials like grocery and pharmacy.
Very little will change, to be honest," said Emergency Operations Centre director Paul Johnson at a Dec. 21 news conference.
He said the provincewide lockdown will bring changes to capacity in some stores, tweaks" in the list of essential services and the cancellation of day camps, which are currently allowed in grey zones.
But, for the majority of Hamiltonians, the provincial lockdown won't look much different.
This is really about the rest of the province joining those who have moved into that grey category," he said.
In a news conference earlier today, Premier Doug Ford announced a provincewide shutdown starting at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 26.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger called it a necessary step to prevent our hospital system from becoming overwhelmed, and to preventing the spread of this virus and ultimately preventing deaths in our communities."
Southern Ontario, including Hamilton, will be shut down for 28 days - until at least Jan. 23.
All of us should stay home as much as possible, only leave home when it is necessary for work or groceries, prescriptions or medical appointments," Eisenberger said.
After reporting 230 new cases on the weekend, Hamilton reported just 40 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, which the city's medical officer of health attributed to a technical backlog." Dr. Elizabeth Richardson cautioned the numbers could change as the backlog clears.
The number of active cases have dropped to 951 from a record-high of 979 reported on Sunday.
The city also reported two new deaths on Monday, bringing the virus death toll to 138.
The city asking HSR customers to use the city's buses for essential travel only."
Please save the space for essential workers and those need to travel at this time," Eisenberger said.
Free or extended services typically for New Year's Eve will not be offered this year.
The city will be extending the hours at outdoor skating rinks - with distancing and masking in place - with the goal of opening from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. All indoor recreation programming is currently cancelled.
We're going to need those types of outlets because some of the other activities that we had been had been enjoying are now closed to the public," Johnson said.
The city's enforcement team is working with police and municipal bylaw to respond proactively and reactively" to address compliance in the community.
It was a little disappointing to see the number of charges against businesses over the last week," Johnson said.
Charges were laid against 20 businesses, and three more against individuals of private residences for house parties.
The parties, the invitations of family, are over," Johnson said. That can't happen for the next little while."
He said people should avoid looking for loopholes" in the measures as the holiday season approaches.
I think it's time for our community to embrace the challenge and do what's right in order to make sure that we limit the amount of spread of this virus," he said. It may not be the way we like it, but it's the way it needs to be."
Kate McCullough is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: kmccullough@thespec.com