Toronto sets January date for city workers to return to the office, amid rising COVID-19 cases, Omicron uncertainty and COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto
An announcement Monday morning from Premier Doug Ford’s office said Toronto will reopen its office workers to return home as soon as January 17.
On Monday, a message from the City of Toronto’s chief medical officer of health, David McKeown, revealed cases testing positive for the novel coronavirus had risen to five in a span of 24 hours, including two cases in Toronto and one each in Mississauga, Windsor and Calgary.
On March 29, 2019, the Ontario government issued a similar directive to businesses to allow people back to work from one to six weeks after the pandemic first appeared in Toronto.
The province on March 13, 2019, said the number of COVID-19 cases in the Greater Toronto Area has risen to 12.
Toronto Mayor John Tory said the city will be open “for the next few days to allow for the safe re-entry of our city’s employees back into our workplaces.”
City hall said Monday morning the move “should have minimal impact on our residents and businesses.”
The mayor’s office also said some city services will remain closed, including the TTC. Staffing has been reduced in all city departments, while services such as the TTC bus system and garbage collection will be delayed.
An announcement from City of Toronto’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. David McKeown, said Monday, Toronto has seen a rise in COVID-19 cases and the number of new infections in a 24-hour period has climbed to three in the past 24 hours. The city is also dealing with a pandemic in the country’s northern territories.
In a call with reporters today, Dr. McKeown said the number of new cases in the city is expected to increase as more testing is conducted.
The province on Saturday, March 19, 2020, said the number of COVID-19 cases in the Greater Toronto Area has risen to one, with a total of one death. On the same day, a coronavirus-related death was reported in Toronto, according to health officials.