NEWS RELEASE
DOUG DOWNEY, MPP FOR BARRIE-SPRINGWATER-ORO-MEDONTE
ANDREA KHANJIN, MPP FOR BARRIE-INNISFIL
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Like many, we are disappointed to see Simcoe-Muskoka shift into the Grey zone today, on the recommendation of Simcoe Muskoka Chief Medical Officer of Health, and with the support of the Mayor of Barrie. It has come as a surprise to our community over the weekend.
We know many people watch COVID numbers daily to know where we sit within the Framework. Based on a plain read of those numbers, people logically expected them to lead to Simcoe-Muskoka staying within the Red designation. With this in mind, many businesses had ramped up their operations over the past 10 days, in hopes that things were looking up.
Based on the most recent data reporting on the three primary measures, as laid out in the colour coded provincial Framework (weekly new cases per 100,000; R number; percent positivity) Simcoe-Muskoka falls within the Red designation. Our hospital capacity is also within range. However, as asserted by Dr. Williams and Dr. Gardner, the variant of concern is an additional criteria that must be applied to decision making. It was on that basis, with one week of trend data, and expected future trends, that the ‘emergency brake’ back to Grey was triggered. As the province has acted since the beginning, the move to Grey was done so upon the advice of our local and provincial medical professionals.
We know and agree that this shift to Grey, after being in Red for only 13 days, has caused turmoil in Simcoe-Muskoka, for families and businesses alike. The impact on individuals and our community is significant. We have been advocating since Day 1 to support small businesses and residents across the riding; to help keep them open through this remarkably difficult time.
Time and again, since COVID-19 appeared in our community, small businesses and residents have been asked to sacrifice and do their part to get through this crisis. So many businesses have gone above and beyond to keep their community safe as they remain open. They have done so much, and we know they just want to get back to what they do best - running their businesses and serving our community.
We spent the weekend talking and meeting with constituents, listening and advocating on your behalf. We spoke to Mayors, Councillors, business people, decision-makers and others. We will continue to advocate for consistent and reliable application of the criteria, based on solid data, to ensure predictability and stability for our business community.
While expert health advice will continue to guide the decisions on what designation Simcoe-Muskoka will be placed in, the voices of our residents must be taken into account. Hearing from you is why we will continue to fight on behalf of businesses most impacted by these decisions.
After much advocacy, we were glad to see changes made to ensure skiing and pet grooming services were approved to continue in all areas of the framework. Also, to ensure retail stores remain operational, by approving them to open to 25 per cent of their capacity within the Grey designation. These were three issues that received much attention locally. These changes show that your voice matters.
We will also continue to advocate for: a common sense and consistent application of rules that have an impact; the factoring of vaccine completion in our area into the opening framework; the separation of Muskoka from Simcoe, as the data realities are vastly different.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to us. We always appreciate hearing from you directly. It allows us to speak up for what matters most to you. Thank you also to Mayor Jeff Lehman for joining us in advocating for local businesses today, to the Barrie Chamber of Commerce for your continued work on behalf of small business, and to the thousands of residents who have voiced their concerns this weekend. We are listening. We hear you. We will continue working to get Simcoe-Muskoka back to business.
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