Government of Canada to Release Common Guidelines for Reopening the Country

Tuesday, 28 April 2020 11:41

"Let me be clear, these are not the specific measures, when you can go back to work or school, or see your neighbours, family and friends. This framework will lay out the things that need to happen before we take any next steps. Restarting our economy will be gradual and careful and will be guided by science."

CANADA - The Government of Canada is going to provide more information today about COVID-19 and the framework for reopening the country.

Prime Minister Trudeau says they will have an update in the House of Commons this afternoon.

"Today at noon, Minister Hajdu will provide an update on the new COVID-19 modelling and Dr. Tam will also do the same. Based on the best data available, this is an updated picture on where we think we are right now and where we will go from here. Here is the bottom line, the measures we have taken so far, are working, in fact, in many parts of the country, the curve has flattened but we are not out of the woods yet. We are in the middle of the most serious public health emergency Canada has ever seen and if we lift measures too quickly, we might lose some of the progress already made."

Trudeau says we need to be careful when it comes to reopening the country, not just for us, but for our parents and for our residents living in Long Term Care homes. Trudeau says the Premiers and the Federal Government are working together to fight this crisis.

"We need common guidelines, to make sure the decisions being made across this country are grounded in a shared understanding and appreciation of what the science and experts are telling us. Shortly we will be releasing the shared principles on restarting economy agreed to by the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Governments. Let me be clear, these are not the specific measures, when you can go back to work or school, or see your neighbours, family and friends. This framework will lay out the things that need to happen before we take any next steps. Restarting our economy will be gradual and careful and will be guided by science."

Trudeau says controlling transmission is key to reopen the economy.

"If your neighbourhood doesn't have new cases, if your Province is flattening the curve, this is a good sign for being able to slowly look at opening some restrictions. To reopen the economy there must be enough capacity to test and trace COVID-19 to control any new spread. For you, that means knowing you will be safe at work when you go back. You will see more testing and if someone around you does test positive, you will be notified immediately so you can self isolate."