April 22, 2003
Mayor Lastman's reaction to the World Health Organization travel advisory that was released today, April 23, 2003, suggesting persons planning to travel to Toronto postpone all but essential travel.
With me today are deputy Mayor Case Ootes, our Chief Administrative Officer, Shirley Hoy, our Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Sheela Basrur, Economic Development Commissioner Joe Halstead and Bruce Macmillan of Tourism Toronto.
Everyone here knows that the World Health Organization issued a travel advisory this morning that recommended postponing all but essential travel to Toronto.
I'm shocked. The medical evidence before us does not support this advisory and I'm told they have never issued an advisory like this before in their history.
I can't believe they're not coming back for three weeks. I want them here tomorrow!
Dr. Basrur will elaborate but I can tell you definitively that we are in better shape today than we have been in a month.
Both the Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have said that we are managing the situation exceptionally well.
Let me be clear: it is safe to live in Toronto - and if it is safe to live here, it is safe to visit here.
This isn't a city in the grips of fear and panic: this is a city of 2.5 million people who are going about their business the same way they always do.
The United Nations has repeatedly recognized Toronto as one of the best cities in the world to live in and it remains true today.
That said, today's advisory does underscore the need for everyone to follow the Chief Medical Officer of Health's instructions.
Wash your hands - 100 times a day if necessary - and if you have been exposed to SARS, stay in quarantine.
The advisory also underscores the need for provincial and federal assistance to help Toronto recover.
Yesterday, I spoke to both the both the Prime Minister and the premier and both men pledged their support.
Later today, we will be announcing a SARS recovery task force - chaired by me - and made up of City Councillors supported by City staff to help co-ordinate all of the different initiatives that are coming forward.
Commissioner Halstead will discuss more about this later.
We've got several things happening that I can share with your right now.
Tourism Toronto is leading a coalition of industry, business and government to develop a recovery plan.
There are already private-public sector partnerships in place to encourage tourism. I understand Mirvish Productions is working on this and I applaud these initiatives.
I will be in contact with all of the big banks asking them to defer payments on loans and mortgages for customers who have been adversely affected by the SARS outbreak.
I have also asked for a moratorium on evictions for people unable to pay their rent because of SARS.
I don't want anyone to lose their job or their house because of this.
There's a lot more - much of which will come out at tomorrow's council meeting - but I wanted to share these with you today.
We live in a city of 2.5 million residents. Tourism is important to our economy - but 2.5 million people can make a big difference if they are determined.
I'd like to ask everyone in Toronto to join me in making that difference.
Eat out at your favourite restaurant. Go visit the theatre or the CN Tower. Spend a weekend at a Toronto hotel and cheer for the Blue Jays.
I'm going to be doing all of these things over the next week - and if the rest of the city joins me, we will all make it through this crisis.
