November 6, 2020
“Today, the Province of Ontario has decided to place Peel Region in the Control or red category, under the new Provincial COVID-19 Response Framework. What this means is that beginning on Saturday November 7, restaurants, bars and fitness centres will be able to reopen, with restrictions. Among the restrictions, restaurants and bars will be limited to a total of 10 people in their establishments, can only serve liquor until 9 p.m., and must close by 10 p.m. Gyms will be able to have a maximum 10 people inside their facilities at a given time.
The Province had previously announced that Peel would be placed in the “Restrict” or the orange category under the Provincial framework, and I know that many restaurants, bars and gyms in Mississauga were preparing for larger reopenings.
To all our small business owners: I am truly sorry that you are not able to open to the degree you had anticipated. The reality, however, is that the picture in Peel has changed over the last several days, particularly in Brampton.
Brampton’s William Osler Health has become overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations and the concern is that Mississauga hospitals will soon be as well. We also continue to see a significant amount of community spread as our numbers have continued to climb over the last three weeks. The second wave of COVID is hitting Peel Region harder than just about anywhere else in the country.
I support the Premier’s decision to place Peel in the Control category. The health and safety of our community remains my top priority. But we know our response right now has to be more than just putting limitations on restaurants, bars and gyms. We have known for quite some time that they are not the significant drivers of this virus in Peel Region. What we are seeing are high rates of transmission in industrial settings as well as in both large and small private gatherings.
Simply put: we are the ones moving this virus. The only way we get a handle on this is by changing our own behavior.
I am urging all Mississaugans to keep your close, in-person contact to just your immediate household and essential supports. If you decide to go out to eat at a restaurant or bar, please do it with just your immediate household. With Diwali just around the corner, I am asking you to please keep your gatherings to your immediate household. If you insist that your extended family must be involved, we ask that you please consider celebrating virtually or taking it outside.
By limiting your in-person contact, you are protecting your family, yourself and the community as a whole.
We will be monitoring our situation closely and I am hopeful that the measures we take now will keep schools open, protect our long-term care homes and allow for larger reopenings.”
– Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga