The City of Toronto continues to respond to COVID-19. The coordinated COVID-19 Enforcement Team, made up of staff from Municipal Licensing & Standards, Parks, Forestry & Recreation, Toronto Public Health, Toronto Building, and Toronto Police Service, will be out all weekend ensuring people across the city are following public health direction and provincial orders.
Education and enforcement are essential to keeping our community safe. Yesterday, the City received 440 complaints involving people using outdoor amenities or not practising physical distancing in parks. Bylaw and police officers issued 19 tickets – bringing the total number of tickets issued since April 3 to 338. The City received 30 complaints yesterday related to non-essential businesses remaining open in contravention of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. Since March 24, Municipal Licensing & Standards and Toronto Public Health have issued 41 tickets and 117 notices to non-essential businesses.
The enforcement team continues to see troubling behaviour as weather improves and people become frustrated with restrictions. People continue to build fire pits at Bluffers Park and gatherings were observed at the boat launch in King’s Mill Park. People are still removing signage and barriers at many locations. Long lines without proper social distancing continue to form outside businesses. Most disturbing, yesterday while performing his duties, an enforcement officer was assaulted in a park. An arrest has been made.
As of this afternoon, there are 3,346 cases of COVID-19 in Toronto. Cases include 3,013 confirmed cases and 333 probable cases. There are 274 cases hospitalized, with 98 in intensive care units. In the city, 162 people have died of COVID-19. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform at https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-latest-city-of-toronto-news/covid-19-status-of-cases-in-toronto/. An earlier upload delay impacting provincial case reporting has been resolved.
The City’s website is updated daily with the latest health advice and information about City services, social supports and economic recovery measures. Check https://www.toronto.ca/covid-19/ for answers to common questions before contacting the Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Hotline or 311.
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture, and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit http://www.toronto.ca or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/CityofToronto, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cityofto.