In federal COVID-19 news Friday, WestJet is using the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program to avoid pilot layoffs.
In provincial news, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Friday that certain seasonal businesses and services will be permitted to open next week.
By following the proper health and safety guidelines, these businesses will be permitted to begin operations on Monday, May 4 at 12:01 a.m.:
- Garden centres and nurseries with curbside pick-up and delivery only
- Lawn care and landscaping
- Automatic and self-serve car washes
- Auto dealerships, open by appointment only
- Golf courses may prepare their courses for the upcoming season, but not open to the public
- Marinas may also begin preparations for the recreational boating season by servicing boats and other watercraft and placing boats in the water, but not open to the public. Boats and watercraft must be secured to a dock in the marina until public access is allowed
Essential construction projects to open include:
- shipping and logistics
- broadband, telecommunications, and digital infrastructure
- any other project that supports the improved delivery of goods and services
- municipal projects
- colleges and universities
- child care centres
- schools
- site preparation, excavation, and servicing for institutional, commercial, industrial and residential development
The full media release from the province can be found here.
Ontario reported 421 COVID-19 cases, 620 recoveries and 39 deaths attributed to the virus Friday.
A record 16,532 tests were processed on Wednesday to produce today's results (data is current as of 4 p.m. yesterday).
294,054 COVID-19 swab tests have now been processed in the province.
A Toronto hospital is now using full-face snorkel masks in anticipation of a shortage of N95 masks.
In local news, SooToday's Darren Taylor reports that hundreds of seniors in the Sault and surrounding Algoma region will be receiving food boxes Friday from the United Way Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma District.
Algoma University is looking for donations to its student emergency fund to help cash-strapped students with food and essentials.
OCP Construction Supplies will be matching gifts up to $100,000 for Sault Area Hospital, Health Sciences North, North Bay Health Centre and Timmins and District Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ontario Finnish Resthome has cancelled its Harvest Fest Draw this year, but the public is still able to donate through the Ontario Finnish Resthome Association's COVID-19 Pandemic Fund campaign.
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from Algoma Public Health:
- 2,176 tested
- 13 positive
- 1,178 negative
- 385 pending
- 0 deceased
- 11 resolved
Total confirmed cases by area of residence:
- 9 in Sault Ste. Marie and area, with evidence of community spread
- 1 in central and east Algoma
- 3 in Elliot Lake and area ***
- 0 in north Algoma
*** Three positive cases in Elliot Lake and area have been confirmed by Elliot Lake Family Health Team
Click here for a SooToday list of what's still open in the Sault.
