Niagara schools reopening on Monday
It’s back to school time, again, for kids in Niagara. Elementary and high school students will be heading back to class this coming Monday, Feb. 8. Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, was joined by Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, to make the announcement yesterday.
Three of the biggest school boards, Toronto, York, and Peel will not return to the classroom until Feb. 16. Earlier this week more than 100 doctors, including some of the top pediatric experts, called on the provincial governments across Canada to reopen schools.
In a statement, the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association said, “Today’s announcement of the reopening of all schools to in-person learning over the next two weeks is good news for Ontario students and their families.”
Province invests another $15 million for new West Niagara hospital
The Ontario government is making an additional investment of over $15 million to support the planning and design of the new Hamilton Health Sciences – West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby. Once complete, this new state-of-the-art hospital will replace the existing aged facility, expand capacity, improve access to quality care and help end hallway health care for patients and families in West Niagara.
“This is another great step toward the new hospital West Niagara needs. A new West Lincoln Memorial Hospital is right around the corner,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.
The new hospital will provide patients and families in the region with a modern, up-to-date facility with capacity for a total of 61 beds; a larger 24/7 emergency department; maternal and newborn services; modern surgical suites; and outpatient care services including minor surgical procedures such as endoscopies.
Following the design of the new hospital, project procurement is expected to begin in 2021. This funding is in addition to the over $2.2 million in provincial funding provided to support the planning phase.
Canada to produce vaccine…eventually, maybe
While there was much hype around Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement that Canada will be producing a COVID-19 vaccine on Canadian soil, the cause for celebration might be a tad early. The federal government actually simply signed a Memorandum of Understanding with pharmaceutical company Novavax to explore options to produce a COVID-19 vaccine at a new Montreal facility that isn’t yet built. At the earliest the vaccines will be ready for distribution in the fall claimed Trudeau. But Trudeau has continually claimed that everyone in Canada who wants a vaccine, will have it by September anyway through contracts with companies like Pfizer and Moderna.
In addition, Trudeau’s own Minister quickly contradicted his ‘producing by the Fall claim’ when he told reporters, “We expect by the end of the year to be in a position to be producing vaccines,” said Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champagne.
Ongoing vaccine delays and reduced shipments have forced the Ontario government to update its goal of completing the administration of first doses of COVID-19 vaccines to residents in each long-term care, high-risk retirement and First Nations elder care home to Feb. 10.
Canada’s daily vaccination rate is the lowest in the G7.
Niagara’s COVID numbers continue to improve
Niagara’s COVID case count continues to show signs of improvement. While the number fluctuates up and down slightly day-to-day they have been trending in the right direction for nearly two weeks. Yesterday, there were 53 new cases. There were 32 cases on Tuesday and 56 on Monday.
According to Niagara Region Public Health’s COVID stats website, St. Catharines continues to have by far the most active cases with 374 (down from 500 a week ago).
The number of active cases per 10,000 people is now distributed fairly evenly across Niagara’s municipalities with the exception of Port Colborne that has just 4.7 cases per 10,000. The total number of Niagara residents who have lost their lives due to the virus now stands at 332.
Niagara Health reported this week that three COVID-19 outbreaks at its hospital sites have been resolved. The outbreaks on Unit 2A and the Emergency Department at the St. Catharines Site and the Sixth-Floor Unit at the Welland Site were declared over on Tuesday after 14 days of enhanced monitoring of patients and staff showed there had been no evidence of further transmission on the units.
St. Catharines waives 2021 licence fees for certain types of businesses
St. Catharines City Council is waiving business licence fees for 2021 to assist a number of businesses including restaurants, theatres and public halls during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Business Licence fees for this year will be waived for amusement arcades, auctioneers, hawker/peddlers (e.g. food trucks), public halls, refreshment stands, restaurants and theatres.
“The types of businesses included in the waiving of fees are based on the anticipated impact that COVID-19 will have on them during 2021,” said City Clerk Bonnie Nistico-Dunk. “Not being able to hold their annual events, programs or welcome residents into their establishments has been very difficult and this is something we can do at a municipal level to lessen the burden.”
The motion passed by Council to waive 2021 business licence fees will have an estimated cost of $92,000 on the City’s budget.
Bridge Commission appoints new COO
Niagara Falls resident Stephanie Dafoe has been appointed chief operating officer (COO) of the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission. Dafoe has spent 20 years with the binational organization that owns and operates three international crossings (Rainbow, Whirlpool Rapids and Queenston-Lewiston bridges).
Dafoe is also chair of the Niagara International Transportation Technology Coalition Border Crossing Committee and serves on the Niagara Falls Chamber of Commerce community board.
Brock President joins Niagara Health Board of Directors
The Niagara Health Board of Directors is announced the appointment of Gervan Fearon, President and Vice-Chancellor of Brock University, to its Board.
Fearon joins the Niagara Health Board at a significant time for healthcare in region with management of the pandemic now in its second year, building of the new South Niagara Site, innovations in models of care, and an increasing importance of partnerships, collaboration and community engagement.
“We are absolutely thrilled that Gervan is joining our Board of Directors. He has such a broad background of experience and knowledge and will bring new and unique perspectives to the Board table,” says Niagara Health Board Chair Bunny Alexander.
Fearon’s appointment received the Board’s unanimous approval.
