COVID-19: Here's the situation in the Sault today

Feds to give Gas Tax money to cash-strapped cities, Ontario to offer hydro rate relief, masks mandatory at Group Health Centre

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $2.2 billion in aid Monday for Canadian municipalities facing the COVID-caused cash crunch.

Trudeau said the money will be given to municipalities “in the coming weeks,” the aid coming from the Federal Gas Tax Fund.

Normally, municipalities receive Federal Gas Tax Fund payments in two installments, but Trudeau said the full 2020-2021 payment will be made available now because “we know that cities and towns need this money right away as they deal with COVID-19.”

“This is a start. We know there’s more to be done to support municipalities and to support the entire reopening process,” Trudeau said.

“We will do more,” Trudeau said, underscoring the importance of working with the provinces and municipalities in providing even more cash liquidity.

“We know very well that a number of municipalities are having major problems with transit...there’s a range of services offered by cities that are in danger of disappearing.”

Infrastructure and Communities Minister Catherine McKenna, Trudeau said, has sent letters to all provincial and territorial leaders to outline how the accelerated Gas Tax Fund payment process will roll out (as municipalities fall under provincial jurisdiction).

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the province is extending its COVID-19 residential electricity rate relief for another five months, though the fixed price will be going up by nearly three cents per kilowatt hour.

Ontario ratepayers will pay what is being called “a COVID-19 recovery rate” of 12.8 cents per kilowatt hour at all times of the day, the fixed price to be in effect from June 1 to Oct. 31.

“No one will have their power cut off because they can’t afford to pay their hydro bill right now,” said Ford, his government extending the ban on hydro disconnections for residential customers until July 31.

The province is also introducing a new COVID-19 energy assistance program to provide support to low-income families struggling to pay their electricity bills, a one time payment to help cover electricity debts incurred during the COVID-19 crisis.

Ford said the government will also do the same for struggling small businesses.

Ontario is reporting 404 new COVID-19 cases.

Public Health Ontario is reporting 10 COVID-19 deaths today, including seven people between the ages of 60 and 79, and one person over the age of 80.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed 1,648 deaths of residents of long-term care homes and seven staff deaths.

There have been 28,263 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Ontario, and 22,153 people (78.4 per cent) are now reported recovered.

Locally, the Group Health Centre has announced face masks are mandatory for all GHC visitors, though it adds it is gradually ramping up its services while keeping provincial requirements in mind.

Sault College, due to COVID-19 fears, has decided to keep its Waterfront Adventure Centre closed for the entire season.

Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from Algoma Public Health, updated at 8:30 a.m., June 1, 2020: