On Tuesday, I was at the legislature as it reconvened to extend the province's State of Emergency until June 2nd. Continuing the State of Emergency allows the Ontario Government to respond quickly to changing circumstances as we begin the process of reopening Ontario's economy. 
 

And this afternoon, the government released details of the first stage of reopening Ontario's economy. The workplaces opening in this stage are well-positioned to put workplace safety measures in place and get more people back to work, while not overburdening public transit and other services.

As soon as 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2020:

• Golf courses will be able to open, with clubhouses open only for washrooms and restaurants open only for take-out.
• Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches may open for recreational use.
• Private parks and campgrounds may open to enable preparation for the season and to allow access for trailers and recreational vehicles whose owners have a full season contract.
• Businesses that board animals, such as stables, may allow boarders to visit, care for or ride their animal.

• Retail services that are not in shopping malls and have separate street-front entrances with measures in place that can enable physical distancing, such as limiting the number of customers in the store at any one time and booking appointments beforehand or on the spot.

• Seasonal businesses and recreational activities for individual or single competitors, including training and sport competitions conducted by a recognized national or provincial sport organization. This includes indoor and outdoor non-team sport competitions that can be played while maintaining physical distancing and without spectators, such as tennis, track and field and horse racing.

• Animal services, specifically pet care services, such as grooming and training, and regular veterinary appointments.

• Indoor and outdoor household services that can follow public health guidelines, such as housekeepers, cooks, cleaning and maintenance.

• Lifting essential workplace limits on construction.

• Allowing certain health and medical services to resume, such as in-person counselling and scheduled surgeries based on the ability to meet pre-specified conditions as outlined in A Measured Approach to Planning for Surgeries and Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as resuming professional services such as shifting Children's Treatment Centres from virtual to in-person.

The Government has also removed co-payments for people on the Ontario Drug Benefit Program until July 1st for prescriptions being dispensed for over 30+ days. In addition, existing and new Trillium Drug Program households can apply for an income reassessment to help reduce the financial burden for families during the outbreak. I know this has been a concern for a number of constituents and am pleased to see this resolution come forward after a number of discussions between the government and our pharmacy partners. 

In other news, my drawing contest submission window is up! Continue to send in your drawings to [email protected] or mail them into my Constituency Office at 2882 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON., M6B 3S6. All drawings will be displayed on my window, and the best in my quarterly newsletter. Deadline to submit is June 10, 2020.