Toronto officials revealed they are looking toward the city’s “recovery” phase in its battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, announcing the launch of the recovery and rebuild office.
Mayor John Tory made the announcement alongside Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, and Toronto Fire Chief and General Manager of the City’s Office of Emergency Management, Matthew Pegg, at a press conference at City Hall.
Tory said Saad Rafi will lead the office alongside Dr. David Mowat, former chief medical officer of Ontario, who will be leading the Toronto Public health effort.
“The best one-two punch you could possibly find to make sure we have the best plan,” the mayor said.
Rafi was previously the CEO of the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Parapan Am Games and also has a long public service career in the province, including working as Deputy Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.
“I am confident that he can and he will get this plan done at war-time speed and we need that. We need Toronto back up and running and in good health,” Tory said, adding “it’ll be no easy task.”
Rafi will report to Murray with a “mandate of first, delivering the city’s recovery strategies and actions making sure they’re based on evidence, transparency, accountability and best practices from other jurisdictions,” Tory continued.
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The second mandate will be “making sure the municipal government itself emerges from the pandemic more efficient, more effective and more resilient than ever.”
The third mandate, Tory said will be to work “with all governments, working with the non-profit sector and with the private sector to support economic and community growth, including the implementation of stimulus strategies and priorities and delivery on the city’s own continuing priorities.”
Tory said the plan will take a “phased approach.”
“Mowat will decide when and how the city can reopen local businesses and city facilities,” Tory said, adding that when exactly the city will “restart” depends on “each and every one of us.”
“We’re still raging war against this illness.”
“We’ve been focused on the health emergency but also focused on the economy,” he said, adding they will map out a “safe, sensible and health restart and recovery program.”
Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford extended the closure of all non-essential businesses until at least May 6.
As of Thursday afternoon, the City of Toronto reported 4,347 probable and confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 22 deaths.
As of Friday morning, de Villa said Toronto had 4,486 coronavirus cases, including 4,048 confirmed and 438 probable cases. She said 300 people are in hospital with 113 in intensive care. The city has seen 238 deaths.
On Friday, Ontario reported 13,519 cases of coronavirus and 763 deaths.
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