After many weeks of precautions, COVID-19 restrictions are starting to loosen and our economy is beginning to reopen.
It is, however, paramount to remain cautious as we are still in the midst of a global pandemic whose outcome depends heavily on our actions.
Our government’s goal remains to keep Canadians safe and healthy. We’ve worked hard over the last few months to ensure our most vulnerable are taken care of, and we’ve implemented economic response measures for the individuals, businesses and sectors that needed it. We’ve also worked closely with provinces and territories to plan framework for the next phases of reopening.
In Ontario, a gradual three-staged approach will be taken to balance the health and safety of all and the needs of businesses.
Stage 1, which we find ourselves in now, focuses on opening businesses that can meet and modify their operations to adhere to public health guidance.
Stage 2 would focus on opening more workplaces based on risk assessment and could include some service industries and additional office and retail workplaces.
Stage 3 would be to open all workplaces responsibly. It’s important to note that the time between the launch of next stages are not predetermined and are subject to assessment and discretion of public health officials.
It has been very encouraging to see the level of testing taking place in Nickel Belt - Greater Sudbury, and we have an opportunity to continue ramping up capacity to monitor our progress. As Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Office of Public Health Sudbury and District, indicated, we can say that we are safely at the end of our first wave of COVID-19 in the Nickel Belt – Greater Sudbury with no active cases in the region.
We should feel proud of our efforts to flatten the curve. This has been possible in part by residents practising physical distancing, proper handwashing, wearing masks, and continued following of other best practices. We have much to be grateful for.
Unfortunately, there have still been tragedies, and we offer our sincere sympathies for those who were lost to this pandemic. This has not been easy for their friends and loved ones to mourn in this difficult time.
As we move forward, I’ll continue to collaborate with local business owners, trade union leaders, Indigenous leaders and municipalities for their feedback to ensure we face these next steps in a united and cautious manner. We must also remember to practise patience with those around us and those working on the frontline.
The nurses, doctors, pharmacists, cashiers, janitors, truck drivers, various retail workers, Canada Post workers, public servants and all others on the front line continue to keep our communities safe, fed and have ensured we can maintain a quality of life in Northern Ontario. We absolutely must respect and show patience when we interact with essential workers.
Let us remain optimistic for what is to come, but not forget what is at stake. Your resilience, personal sacrifices and determination through these challenging changes have been inspirational and crucial in the ability of our region to persevere.
As always, my office and I remain at your service and encourage you to reach out should you need assistance with Federal matters. Together, in strength, we can overcome our challenges.
Marc G. Serré
MP Nickel Belt
