Coronavirus: Ontario extends emergency orders until July 22

The Ontario government says it is extending emergency orders until July 22 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The province is enforcing emergency orders under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act due to the outbreak.

The government said the extension was made to ensure the public health and safety of all Ontarians as more businesses reopen and people go back to work. It also allows public health units to redeploy staff, or hire staff, to support case management and contact tracing for the virus, the government said in a news release issued on Thursday.

All of Ontario is now in Stage 2 of the province’s reopening plan.

Ontario first declared a state of emergency on March 17 and that remains in effect until July 15, however the government brought forward a motion on Wednesday that, if passed, would extend the provincial declaration of emergency until July 24.

The provincial government isn’t able to issue new emergency orders once the state of emergency ends, but it can extend existing orders.

“Our government is getting Ontario back on track and more people back to work but at the same time taking steps to ensure we don’t undo the tremendous progress we have made together,” Premier Doug Ford said.

“By keeping these emergency measures in place, we will continue to support our front-line care providers, protect our most vulnerable and ensure we can rapidly respond to potential outbreaks or surges.”

— With files from The Canadian Press.