It looks like Ontario won't be getting a curfew after all
Senior government sources have reportedly confirmed to multiple news outlets in Toronto that a curfew will not be implemented as part of new, stricter lockdown measures set to be announced on Tuesday.
This, after a weekend filled with widespread speculation that the province would soon ban people from leaving their homes between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., just like Quebec.
Whether the rumours were bunk to begin with or the provincial government simply responded to premature backlash over the idea, it would appear as though the worries of many Ontarians were for naught.
BREAKING: Government source confirms the Ford government is NOT considering a curfew "at this time," it is not being recommended by Ontario health officials. #covid19
— Cynthia Mulligan (@CityCynthia) January 11, 2021
What we know for certain is that Doug Ford will be announcing more lockdown measures tomorrow after more than a week of watching new COVID-19 infections top 3,000 per day within the province.
This much was confirmed by the Premier himself at Queen's Park on Monday morning while speaking to reporters.
"We worked all weekend, right until late hours last night," said Ford as he walked into his office. "We'll be going to cabinet with recommendations tonight and we will make an announcement tomorrow."
#BREAKING - No curfew - An overnight curfew is not being recommended by health officials at this time, sources confirm to @680NEWS
— Richard Southern (@richard680news) January 11, 2021
After Ford's brief appearance, unnamed officials told CTV, 680 News and City News, among other outlets, that public health officials were not reccomending a curfew for Ontario residents at this time.
That said, the government has yet to finalize the new measures that will be announced tomorrow.
Ford did recently say that he would be on board with a curfew, if it were reccomended to him by the experts on his COVID-19 command table. Toronto Mayor John Tory said similarly last week that he would approve of a pandemic curfew, if one were to be ordered by Ford.
So Ontario is leaking the restrictions the province is not considering, three days after Doug Ford called this a crisis, while waiting one more day to make an actual decision. None of the situation we're in should have been a surprise to anybody.
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) January 11, 2021
Along with even harsher lockdown restrictions, the province is expected to unveil new modelling data tomorrow that Ford warned last week would cause people to fall out of their chairs.
"This is so, so serious — as a matter of fact, this is the most serious situation we've ever been in, ever, ever since the beginning of this pandemic," said the premier during his Friday morning press conference at Queen's Park.
"I can't stress this enough. Please follow the protocols that the health units have put forward."
People living in Quebec are currently under curfew until at least February 8, and face fines of up to $6,000 if found away from their property between 8 p.m. at night and 5 a.m. in the morning (unless for specific essential reasons such as work or walking pets.)
