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TORONTO — The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, is immediately declaring a third provincial emergency under s 7.0.1 (1) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA). These measures are being taken in response to the rapid increase in COVID-19 transmission, the threat on the province's hospital system capacity, and the increasing risks posed to the public by COVID-19 variants.

Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, and Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health.

"The Covid-19 situation is at a critical stage and we must act quickly and decisively to stay ahead of these deadly new variants," said Premier Ford. "By imposing these strict new measures we will keep people safe while allowing our vaccination program to reach more people, starting with our high risk population and identified hot spots. Although this is difficult, I urge everyone to follow these public health measures and together we will defeat this deadly virus."

Case rates, hospitalizations, and ICU occupancy are increasing rapidly, threatening to overwhelm the health care system. The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the province have increased by 28.2 per cent between the period of March 28 and April 5, 2021. In addition, between March 28 and April 5, 2021, Ontario has seen the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care escalate by 25 per cent. While every action possible is being taken to increase capacity and continue daily surgeries and procedures, the province is reaching a tipping point.

Effective Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 12:01 a.m., the government is issuing a province-wide Stay-at-Home order requiring everyone to remain at home except for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services (including getting vaccinated), for outdoor exercise , or for work that cannot be done remotely. As Ontario's health care capacity is threatened, the Stay-at-Home order, and other new and existing public health and workplace safety measures will work to preserve public health system capacity, safeguard vulnerable populations, allow for progress to be made with vaccinations and save lives.

Retail

In addition, the province is also strengthening public health and workplace safety measures for non-essential retail under the provincewide emergency brake. Measures include, but are not limited to:

• Limiting the majority of non-essential retailers to only operate for curbside pick-up and delivery, via appointment, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., with delivery of goods to patrons permitted between 6:00 am and 9:00 pm, and other restrictions;
• Restricting access to shopping malls to limited specified purposes, including access for curbside pick-up and delivery, via appointment, with one single designated location inside the shopping mall, and any number of designated locations outside the shopping mall, along with other restrictions;
• Restricting discount and big box stores in-person retail sales to grocery items, pet care supplies, household cleaning supplies, pharmaceutical items, health care items, and personal care items only;
• Permitting the following stores to operate for in-person retail by appointment only and subject to a 25 per cent capacity limit and restricting allowable hours of operation to between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. with the delivery of goods to patrons permitted between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.:
  • Safety supply stores;
  • Businesses that primarily sell, rent or repair assistive devices, aids or supplies, mobility devices, aids or supplies or medical devices, aids or supplies;
  • Rental and leasing services including automobile, commercial and light industrial machinery and equipment rental;
  • Optical stores that sell prescription eyewear to the public;
  • Businesses that sell motor vehicles, boats and other watercraft;
  • Vehicle and equipment repair and essential maintenance and vehicle and equipment rental services; and
  • Retail stores operated by a telecommunications provider or service, which may only permit members of the public to enter the premises to purchase a cellphone or for repairs or technical support.
• Permitting outdoor garden centres and plant nurseries, and indoor greenhouses that engage in sales to the public, to operate with a 25 per cent capacity limit and a restriction on hours of operation to between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

These additional and strengthened public health and workplace safety measures will be in effect as of Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. 

Education

Keeping schools and child care open is critical to the mental health and well-being of Ontario children and youth. Schools and child care will remain open for in-person care and learning in public health regions where it is permitted, with strict safety measures in place.

In addition, beginning next week, education workers who provide direct support to students with special education needs across the province, and all education workers in select hot spot areas, will be eligible to register for vaccination. Vaccinations will commence during the April break starting with priority neighborhoods in Toronto and Peel, then rolling out to priority neighborhoods in other hot spot regions, including York, Ottawa, Hamilton, Halton and Durham. This will be followed by a rollout across the province as supply allows.

 "While our government took decisive action by implementing the provincewide emergency brake, more needs to be done to protect against the threats to our health system resources and the continued health and safety of individuals and families across the province," said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. "By further strengthening public health and workplace safety measures, we can work to reduce transmission of the virus while we work to rollout Phase 2 of our vaccine distribution plan, and put more needles in the arms of Ontarians."

"The rapid and increasing spread of COVID-19 and the variants of concern pose significant threats to our health care system and the well-being of Ontarians, requiring immediate and decisive action," said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. "The declaration of a third provincial emergency is necessary to provide the government with the tools needed to help protect the public, reduce the spread of the virus and save lives."

Vaccinations

As part of Phase Two of its COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, people living in regions with the highest rates of transmission will be prioritized to receive a vaccine, starting with the most at-risk in the Peel and Toronto public health regions. This initiative will be expanded to additional "hot spot" regions based on established patterns of transmission, severe illness, and mortality.

To support this expanded vaccination effort, mobile teams are being organized to administer vaccines in high-risk congregate settings, residential buildings, faith-based locations, and locations occupied by large employers in hot spot neighbourhoods to individuals aged 18 or over. Pop-up clinics will also be set-up in highly impacted neighborhoods, including at faith-based locations and community centres in those hot spots, in collaboration with public health units and community organizations within those communities. The province will provide additional resources to support these mobile and pop-up clinics in the hardest-hit neighbourhoods.

The government will also extend booking for COVID-19 vaccination appointments to more age groups through its provincial booking system, for public health regions with highly impacted neighbourhoods, on Friday, April 9, 2021. Booking eligibility will be extended to include individuals aged 50 and over for COVID-19 vaccination appointments at mass immunization clinics in high-risk areas as identified by postal code, using the provincial booking system.

Workplace Inspections

Health and safety inspectors and provincial offenses officers will increase inspections and enforcement at essential businesses in regional hot zones to continue protecting essential workers while on the job. There have been 19,500 COVID-related workplace inspections and investigations across the province since the beginning of 2021. During those visits, over 450 COVID-19 related tickets have been issued and OHS inspectors have issued over 14,446 OHS orders and stopped unsafe work related to COVID-19 a total of 24 times.

Rapid Testing

Rapid testing continues to be deployed in workplaces for asymptomatic staff in key sectors such as manufacturing, warehousing, supply chain, mining, construction and food processing. Approximately 5.4 million rapid antigen tests have been sent to over 1,150 workplaces, including 100 essential industry sites, under the Provincial Antigen Screening Program. To encourage the use of these tests under the program, additional outreach will occur to employers in regions with highest rates of transmission to increase access to testing, and the process for enrollment in the screening program will be streamlined to allow for quick access to these supports.

"As we continue to see COVID-19 variants of concern drive this third wave of COVID-19, it is evident stronger public health and workplace measures are needed to help interrupt the spread of the virus," said Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health. "By all of us staying at home, while still taking some time to enjoy the outdoors with the people we live with in our local neighbourhoods and maintaining two metres physical distance from others, we can reduce our mobility, minimize transmission, protect our loved ones and our communities, safeguard health system capacity, and save lives."

Quick Facts

• Over the past week, the province’s positivity rate is 5.1 per cent, well above the high-alert threshold of 2.5 per cent, and as of April 6, 2021, there has been a total of 2,483 cases with one of the three variants of concern (VoC). The percent of cases in the last week that tested positive for a mutation or VOC was 63.1 per cent.
• On Saturday April 3, 2021, in response to an alarming surge in case numbers and COVID-19 hospitalizations across the province and in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the government imposed a provincewide emergency brake, implementing additional time-limited public health and workplace safety measures, including encouraging remote work in all industries to the greatest extent possible and the closure of additional workplaces, further capacity limits on some essential businesses which are able to remain open, and strengthened advice on limiting trips outside of the home for essential reasons.
• On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, all Ontarians are asked to limit trips outside the home to necessities such as food, medication, medical appointments, supporting vulnerable community members, or exercising outdoors with members of their household in our their communities. Individuals should remain in their local communities and avoid all non-essential travel – even within the province – and to stay home when ill even with mild symptoms. Employers in all industries should make every effort to allow employees to work from home.
• To ensure that every person who requires care in a hospital can access a bed, the government has invested more than $5.1 billion to support hospitals since the start of the pandemic, creating more than 3,100 additional hospital beds and 500 critical care and high intensity medicine beds. This includes $1.8 billion in 2021–22 to continue providing care for COVID-19 patients, addressing surgical backlogs and keeping pace with patient needs through its Ontario's Action Plan: Protecting People's Health and Our Economy.
• The Ontario government continues to implement its High Priority Communities Strategy to provide targeted supports to communities hardest hit by COVID-19. In these communities 1,000 Community Ambassadors have been mobilized, 30 community testing sites have been opened and nearly 36,000 PPE kits have been distributed to community members.
• Get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms, or if you have been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the COVID Alert App. Visit Ontario.ca/covidtest to find the nearest testing location.

Information provided via Ontario.ca

Does your business have an effective energy strategy? To meet its sustainability targets by 2030, Canada has set a bold climate action plan, including a carbon tax that puts a price on pollution. For businesses, this requires ambitious emission reduction goals and effective sustainability plans. 

As Canada's energy transition happens before our eyes, having a cost-effective renewable energy strategy is rapidly becoming a must for organizations, both small and large. 

With the addition of Anova Energy to the Canadian Chamber’s Chamber Business Services offerings, you can now access exclusive green energy rates that are only available to members. Anova Energy is a leading Canadian energy brokerage that advises organizations in developing and implementing energy strategies. That includes Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), Carbon Offsets, and other strategic energy solutions. 

How Anova Energy can help you reduce your carbon emissions 

• Review REC quotes — Renewable energy certificates enable you to offset your carbon footprint and support renewable energy generation. Purchasing RECs means you're buying your electricity from renewable sources and thus reducing your carbon emissions.  
• Review Carbon Offset quotes — Carbon offsets are ideal to compensate for your business' carbon footprint. When you buy these credits, you're directly investing in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Both RECs and offsets can be used for CO2 compliance purposes.

Why Anova Energy?

• Get tailored, unbiased advice — Anova Energy works as an independent broker and ensures our clients are provided with unbiased information allowing our partners to make a fully informed decision on their long-term energy strategy. 
• Get the best rates — With extensive experience and long-term relationships in the Canadian energy market, we offer incomparable market intelligence and depth of knowledge in strategic energy solutions. 

To review the comprehensive energy solutions Anova can offer your business, contact the Bobcaygeon Chamber of Commerce's Anova contact at siddha.mahajan@anovaenergy.ca or by calling (780) 628 1857, remember to say how you heard about them!  

Globus Theatre Favourite Norm Foster is Performing on Valentine's Day   

and Globus Wants You to Have Front Row Seats!  

  

Bobcaygeon, February 3 – Globus Theatre audiences can now book digital theatre tickets and order a take-out dinner on Valentine’s Day! The Foster Festival’s live online play reading of Norm Foster’s Old Love and dinner from the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon are available together as a Dinner & Show package from Globus Theatre.   
 

Bud is recently divorced. Molly is newly widowed. At her husband’s funeral, Bud arrives to offer his condolences...and more.  

Norm Foster’s Old Love is a story of courtship, rekindled romance and hope. Norm Foster, himself, will star in the live play reading along with renowned Canadian actress, Sheila McCarthy, known for her roles in The Good Doctor, Baroness Von Sketch Show, The Umbrella Academy, Orphan Black, and Die Hard 2.   

 

"We recently surveyed our audience to find out what they wanted from Globus and the theatre world in general right now, and it came as no surprise to learn that perennial favourite Norm Foster and a play reading were one of the top requests! Norm Foster cut the ribbon when we opened the Lakeview Arts Barn 15 years ago and since then his plays have become a regular feature on our stage each summer - he even performed here himself about 5 years ago. Norm has his own festival now in St Catherine's and when we learnt that they were staging a reading of Old Love for Valentine's Day, (starring the man himself and the incredible Sheila McCarthy!), we asked if we could offer it to our audience too - a portion of each ticket that our patrons purchase comes directly to Globus! We are excited to serve up a three-course meal of elegant crowd-pleasing dishes for people to enjoy while they watch." - Globus Theatre’s Artistic Director, Sarah Quick  
 

The Lakeview Arts Barn’s 3-course dinner includes menu options like their wildly popular Roast Beef & Yorkshire Pudding and, for dessert, Chocolate Mousse served in a Martini Glass. Dinner & Theatre tickets are $110 per couple with single ticket and family pricing also available. They can be booked by calling Globus Theatre’s box office at 705-738-2037. Once booked, dinner can be picked up at the Lakeview Arts Barn between 4:00pm and 6:00pm on February 14^th. The live play reading will begin at 6:30.  

The Bobcaygeon & Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to join the Chamber Partnership Initiative to Support Business Growth and Student Career Development across Canada 

The Chamber Partnership Initiative brings together local chambers and boards of trade, small and medium-sized enterprises, job seekers, and post-secondary institutions to support economic recovery and opportunities for student job seekers from coast to coast, across Canada.

The Bobcaygeon & Area Chamber of Commerce is among the local chambers and boards of trade across Canada that will partner with Magnet and the Talent Opportunity Program (TOP) to connect chamber members to the Magnet platform, a digital social enterprise at Ryerson University. Through Magnet, businesses can connect with new talent, access business growth opportunities and tools to navigate the impacts of a changing labour market and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed Canada’s social and economic landscape, leaving a significant impact on hiring capacity, operations, and business growth opportunities. The partnership is part of a nation-wide effort to connect local chambers and their members to a network of hiring tools and business growth resources in a single digital space.

Key to the partnership between Magnet and local chambers is connecting businesses of all sizes and industries to opportunities to hire young talent and access wage subsidies through the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP).* Funded by the Government of Canada, SWPP allows employers to access wage subsidies of up to $7,500 when they hire Canadian post-secondary students for work integrated learning experiences.

“Ensuring a strong economic recovery depends on the success of our students and youth. Programs like the Student Work Placement Program exist to provide post-secondary students with the chance to grow professionally and develop new skills while working in sectors that are in line with their interests and field of study,” said Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough. “Our Government’s investment in Magnet will go a long way in helping young Canadians gain meaningful placement opportunities in a variety of disciplines including health care and other high demand sectors, all of which play an especially important role in responding to the current pandemic.”

“The combination of a national recruitment platform and the SWPP wage subsidy will be an important resource for our members,” says Denise Benning-Reid, Manager of the Bobcaygeon Chamber. “The Chamber Partnership Initiative represents an innovative and necessary approach to helping small businesses grow, connecting early talent to new opportunities, and emerging from this challenge stronger and better.”

Whether businesses need to access specialty skills such as digital marketing, bring on flexible workers or inject fresh, innovative thinking, tapping into the next generation of talent from Canada’s post-secondary schools is a great way to boost business. As businesses work toward recovery, SWPP will be a valuable resource in not only supporting new hires, but helping businesses offset costs.

The Chamber Partnership Initiative will support access to the following key features through Magnet’s platform:

Nationwide student recruitment: Hiring a student? Use the Outcome Campus Connect functionality to reach student job seekers across 85+ post-secondary institutions with one click.

Financial support for student hiring: Wage subsidies of up to $7,500 available to employers to hire post-secondary students through the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP).

Intelligent job matching: Employers can target job postings directly to job seekers based on skills, experience, education, and industry-specific certifications.

Diverse hiring: Employers know the value of a diverse workforce. Build more inclusive and equitable hiring practices with the Hire Immigrants and Discover Ability resource hubs. Magnet’s platform also enables diverse and inclusive hiring with tools that target LGBTQ candidates, newcomers, persons with disabilities, Indigenous persons, women, and visible minorities.

Customized business growth content: Access to export-related opportunities and business growth information from Magnet content partners, including OCC, Export Development Canada, Business Development Bank of Canada, Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade and Global Affairs Canada and the Future Skills Centre.

Working with chambers and boards of trade across Canada, the Chamber Partnership Initiative will support businesses in all sectors in accessing Magnet’s intelligent job matching technology.

Local businesses are invited to create their free Magnet account today at their Chamber Portal and instantly connect with a national network of job seekers, employers, and post-secondary institutions.

For more information, please contact:

Denise Benning-Reid
Manager, Bobcaygeon & Area Chamber of Commerce
manager.chamber@bobcaygeon.org
416-710-3899

Luke Nixon-Janssen
Senior Manager, Industry Engagement
Magnet
luke.nixon@ryerson.ca
416-436-8846

Louie Di Palma
Vice President, SME Programs
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
louiedipalma@occ.ca
647-243-3539

About Bobcaygeon & Area Chamber of Commerce

The Bobcaygeon Chamber is the busiest service provider in our community with responsibilities that involve business advocacy and support, Service Ontario licensing and tourism information. We are committed to providing leadership, support and communication for a healthy business community, and to ensure a high quality of life for all. 

About the Chamber Partnership Initiative

The Chamber Partnership Initiative is part of a suite of programs funded by the Federal Government to support economic recovery across Canada, in partnership with chambers of commerce and boards of trade, small and medium-sized businesses, post-secondary institutions, and communities from coast to coast.

Magnet is a digital platform with a mission to accelerate inclusive economic growth across Canada by advancing careers, businesses and communities.

Magnet and the TOP, in partnership with provincial and regional chambers and boards of trade from coast to coast, will deliver a range of supports targeted at employers, students and local communities, through Chamber Portals across the country.

*Funded by the Government of Canada

 

Bobcaygeon, October 26 - Globus Theatre is delighted to be able to present the smash-hit show Boy Falls from the Sky featuring Broadway and Degrassi star, Jake Epstein, from November 5th-7th at the Lakeview Arts Barn.

Since beginning his musical theatre career as the Artful Dodger in Oliver! for Mirvish in Toronto Jake has starred in productions all over North America including the 'boyhood dream' role of Spiderman in Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark on Broadway! He also played Carole King's husband Gerry Goffin on Broadway in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and toured the US in Green Day's Tony Award-winning musical American Idiot. He has starred in TV shows such as Suits and spent six years playing the role of Craig Manning on Degrassi: The Next Generation.

Boy Falls from the Sky sold out its run at the Toronto Fringe before it even opened; won the 'pick of the fringe' award; and enjoyed an extended run at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. It is scheduled as part of Mirvish's 2021 Season but Globus Theatre audiences will get the unique opportunity to see it here first...with an exclusive audience of just 50!!

Artistic Director, Sarah Quick, says, "We are so excited to have Jake and his whole team here at Globus. To be able to bring a show of this calibre with such a great performer to Bobcaygeon and the Kawartha Lakes is just the sort of thing we strive for - making sure lovers of world-class theatre can indeed shop locally "

Join us at this no-holds-barred cabaret, full of stories, anecdotes, and show-stopping musical numbers, as one of Canada’s very best musical performers regales us with the highs and lows of show business (including falling each night from very high to very low in his role as the webbed wonder!)

CABARET OF THE HIGHEST CALIBRE! NNNNN Now Magazing Toronto

November 5th - 7th @ 6:00pm

Dinner & Theatre tickets can now be booked by calling the box office!

705-738-2037

Theatre & Dinner Tickets $75.00 (plus HST + $2.00 per ticket fee)

Groups of up to 6 can book together.

Boy Falls From the Sky

Written and Performed by Jake Epstein

Developed with and Directed by Robert McQueen

Music Direction by Daniel Abrahamson

Produced by Derrick Chua

On Friday, October 9th, the Canadian Federal Government announced more supports to help businesses that have been affected by the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. While some areas of the economy have been recovering, many are still struggling with reduced revenues, increased costs, and the on-going uncertainty this pandemic presents. To aid struggling businesses at this time, the Federal Government is putting forth legislation that will expand current emergency responses to the pandemic. 

This will include expansions on the Canadian Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS), Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), and the Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA). 

These expansions will aid both for profit and non-profit businesses that have been affected by the pandemic, and will help to keep businesses afloat and employees employed throughout this time. 

To read more about the announced legislation and if your business may be eligible, head here . 

The new Canadian Recovery Benefit (CRB) has been put in place to replace the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).  The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) was an important and necessary temporary response to support Canadians who stopped working because of COVID-19. As we safely restart Canada’s economy, the Government is transitioning most Canadians who still cannot work to a simplified Employment Insurance program, effective September 27, 2020. 

For those who are not eligible to receive EI regular benefits, such as the self-employed, or those experiencing a reduction in income of at least 50% due to COVID-19, the Government is introducing the Canada Recovery Benefit. This temporary benefit will provide $500 per week (taxable) for up to 26 weeks between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021.  To be eligible for the Benefit, you must be available and looking for work and must accept work, when it is reasonable to do so.

The Government is also introducing the temporary Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit and the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit.

One main change for the CRB over CERB is that this payment is retroactive, and does not project into the future. This means that you can only apply for the two weeks that have just passed, not for time periods that are in the future.

To Learn more about the new Canada Recovery Benefit and if you will be eligible to apply, head here: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application/transition/questions.html

Time-of-Use or Tiered Electricity Prices?  You Now Have a Choice

If you’re a residential or small business customer that pays Time-of-Use (TOU) electricity prices, you now have a choice. You can contact your electricity utility and opt-out of TOU and pay Tiered prices instead, choosing the price plan that’s right for how you consume electricity.

With TOU, the price you pay depends on when you use electricity whereas with tiered prices, you use a certain amount of electricity each month at a fixed price anytime of the day. Once you exceed that limit, a higher price applies. If you want to continue paying TOU prices, no action is required. If you’re considering a switch to Tiered prices, get a price comparison using the OEB’s online bill calculator at www.oeb.ca/calculator.

Temporary Bridge Closure: Bobcaygeon Swing Bridge 

Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site

Peterborough, Ontario, October 13, 2020 – Parks Canada would like to inform the public that the Bobcaygeon Swing Bridge on Main St. (at Canal St.) will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic over the winter months. The bridge will be closed on or after October 26, 2020, pending the approval of Contractor submissions, and will open in the spring of 2021, prior to the opening of navigation on the Trent-Severn Waterway.

A temporary, accessible pedestrian bridge will be installed across the canal near the downstream lock gates. The area around the cenotaph will remain outside of the construction site.

Public safety is a priority for Parks Canada. Residents and visitors are advised to follow detour signage and to exercise caution.

Engineering inspections in recent years have indicated that this bridge requires intervention. Parks Canada is leading this important infrastructure work along the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site to ensure safe, high-quality experiences for visitors by improving heritage, visitor, waterway, and highway assets located within national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas.

To ask questions or register to receive updates about any Trent-Severn Waterway construction project, please contact us at Ont.TrentSevern@pc.gc.ca and include the project name in the subject heading. More details about this work, or other construction work in your region, can be found at www.pc.gc.ca/tswKawarthaLakes