With the rest of the country beginning to open up, Ontarians are left wondering why they are struggling to shed its lockdown restrictions..Ontario has had some of the strictest government-mandated COVID-19 lockdowns since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020..Currently only in Stage 1 of reopening, Ontarians are allowed to once again visit retail businesses in person, attend services at churches, and partcipate a variety of outdoor activities – providing all abide by capacity limits..Alberta and BC, on the other hand, are set to drop their COVID-19 restriction on Canada day this week..Stage 1 in Ontario allows15% overall capacity in non-essential retail businesses and 25% capacity for essential retail stores. Religious services are limited to 15% indoor capacity or outdoors capacity limited to permit two-meter social distancing..Businesses are still subject to hefty fines if caught not properly complying with the face coverings, physical distancing, cleaning/disinfecting, and screening rules laid out by the provincial government..As Ontario moves into Stage 2 Wednesday at midnight, they still seem to be one of the slowest provinces in Canada to ease restrictions..Stage 2 will allow Ontarians to increase retail capacity in essential and non-essential businesses up to 50 and 25%respectively..Stage 2 will also allow indoor gatherings of five people and outdoor gatherings of twenty five, along with the opening of personal care services and public libraries..For more than two weeks Albertans have now been able to go enjoy a meal inside the walls of a restaurant. For Ontario, indoor dining – requiring a move into Stage 3 – seems like more of a pipe dream that may or may not be accomplished before the end of July..One of the most outspoken critics of the provincial lockdowns has been independent MPP Randy Hillier..Hillier was one of the main organizers behind a recent anti-COVID-19 lockdown rally in Ontario last April, and has remained a critic of the provincial government’s harsh lockdown laws. His rally caught the attention of media and police alike, resulting in him receiving a ticket..Hillier said the lockdown policies currently being practiced in Ontario is one of the most “dangerous, harmful policies ever undertaken by Canada.”.Hillier cites the mounting levels of mental health issues affecting Ontarians almost solely due to the harsh lockdowns..“The elevation of fear and enflaming of [public] panic through isolation and confinement has led to a great tsunami of mental health problems,” he said..Hillier encouraged Ontarians to “follow the science and not the bureaucrats,” and “follow evidence not experts.”.Hillier compares Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s set schedule for restrictions to be lifted with Premier Doug Ford’s lack of scheduled plan..“We do not have a timetable to be free,” he said..With their massive population – and new cases still being in the hundreds – some Ontarians believe restrictions are still necessary. New cases are beginning to wane but still remaining at 287 new cases in the province for June 26..Jackie Conroy is a Correspondent for the Western Standard.jconroy@westernstandardonline.com
