Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Christine Elliott are being tested for COVID-19 after it was learned Education Minister Stephen Lecce had come into contact with someone who tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Lecce has since announced he has tested negative for COVID-19.

All three were present at Tuesday’s provincial press conference.

Ford and Elliott were scheduled to appear at Wednesday’s press conference, but “out of an abundance of caution,” decided not to participate.

Lecce was tested yesterday and Ford and Elliott will be tested today as they monitor for symptoms.

Public health officials have not recommended getting a COVID-19 test immediately after possible exposure.

“If you are worried about possible exposure to a person with or under investigation for COVID-19, based on evidence and the incubation period of the virus, we suggest individuals get tested 4 to 8 days after potential exposure,” Toronto’s Michael Garron Hospital writes on its website.

The Premier’s Office says they will notify the public when they receive their tests results.

A government spokesperson also downplayed suggestions that Leece’s test was somehow fasttracked.

“Most people receive their test results in 24 hours. Minister Lecce’s test wasn’t prioritized or favoured in any way.”

Neither the premier’s office nor a spokeswoman for Lecce would say how he came into contact with a positive case, or why his possible exposure wasn’t made public sooner.

The premier’s office would also not confirm if Ford was in self-isolation while awaiting Lecce’s test results

Ford’s nephew, Toronto City Councillor Michael Ford, also announced Tuesday he had tested positive for COVID-19, but Premier Ford hadn’t seen his nephew in more than two weeks, a spokeswoman said.

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Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Christine Elliott have both tested negative for COVID-19 after Education Minister Stephen Lecce came into close contact with someone who had tested positive.

Lecce announced Wednesday his test results had also come back negative.

All three attended a press conference on Tuesday. Ford and Elliott were expected to attend on Wednesday, but declined to participate “out of an abundance of caution.

A statement from the Premier’s office says both Ford and Elliott will not be self-isolating as they have had no known contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus

Ford’s nephew, Toronto City Councillor Michael Ford, also announced Tuesday he had tested positive for COVID-19, but Premier Ford hadn’t seen his nephew in more than two weeks, a spokeswoman said.

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford vowed Wednesday to make air conditioning mandatory in the province’s long-term care homes, though critics say any change will come too late for many residents already suffering in the stifling heat.

Ford’s announcement came the same day that opposition leaders called for concrete action from Ford, and a day after the premier criticized homes without air conditioning.

“We’re going to move forward with this. We’re going to move forward rapidly,” Ford told a news conference Wednesday. “I can’t imagine sitting there in 27-, 28-degree heat in a room. It’s just unacceptable.”

Ford said he and Long-Term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton are already looking at how the relevant legislation can be changed, and exploring the option of providing money to make it possible. But Ford stopped short of providing an exact timeline for when the government would make those changes.

All three opposition parties said they would support such a bill.

As it stands, the province’s Long-Term Care Act does not mandate air conditioning, but says homes without it must have a “cooling plan” in place.

The Long-Term Care Association, an industry group, said its members follow all provincial legislation, and it hopes the province will offer funding to retrofit facilities without air conditioning – or rebuild them, if necessary.

Wednesday’s announcement offered no comfort to Jeanette Abrahams, whose 90-year-old mother has lived at Midland Gardens Care Community in east Toronto since early March, following the death of her husband.

“Without a timeline, it’s just hot air coming out of his mouth,” Abrahams said of Ford’s announcement.

Midland Gardens does not have air conditioning, Abrahams said, and the already-difficult conditions have been worsened by a recent heat wave.

Abrahams said her mother contracted COVID-19 a few months after moving in to the long-term care home, becoming one of 89 residents and 48 staff members diagnosed with the novel coronavirus.

She’s since recovered, Abrahams said, but was left with damaged lungs and is now on oxygen therapy.

“She always looks very sweaty and listless,” Abrahams said. “We were told that the weakness and the listlessness is because of having had COVID-19, but it’s also because of the horrendous heat that they are living in.”

Sienna Living, which operates the facility where Abrahams’ mother lives, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Abrahams said the promise to mandate air conditioning in long-term care homes is a good thing, but is ultimately unlikely to come into effect soon enough to help her mom.

Glen Kenny, a University of Ottawa physiology professor, has studied how the body responds to heat over time and said the situation is particularly dire for the elderly.

“As we age there’s deterioration in how the body can actually lose heat,” he said, noting that when older people are exposed to temperatures up to 40 C, they store that heat rather than shedding it.

He said heat can exacerbate underlying conditions and can affect blood pressure, making people more likely to fall over – which is particularly dangerous for seniors.

That’s why it’s so important that long-term care homes have appropriate temperature controls, said Jane Meadus, a lawyer and institutional advocate with the Toronto-based Advocacy Centre for the Elderly.

But she’s concerned that the changes won’t happen fast enough.

“Some of the older homes, I don’t believe are going to be able to be retrofitted for air conditioning,” she said.

In those cases, the facilities would have to be totally rebuilt.

“That’s a lengthy process,” Meadus said. “It’s not happening very quickly.”

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s frustration with a perceived lack of COVID-19 recovery funds flowing from the federal government turned to praise on Thursday as he learned the province would be receiving a $7 billion portion of a national aid package.

Ford announced the province’s share of the $19-billion deal from a farm outside of Chatham, Ont., as he toured parts of Southwestern Ontario still grappling with the global pandemic.

He said the money will help the province provide critical services, including financial relief to municipalities who have said help from both governments could stave off local tax hikes and service cuts.

“This funding will support us as we get the economy going over the next six to eight months,” Ford said. “My friends … it’s a great deal for Ontario.”

The federal funding is expected to help provinces pay for initiatives such as child care, contact tracing and personal protective equipment.

Last month, Ford said the province’s pandemic-related expenses have reached $23 billion and that he wouldn’t agree to a “bad deal” with the federal government. But he had changed his tone considerably on Thursday, offering praise for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“At the end of the day, the prime minister had the final say in this,” Ford said. “And he pulled through in my opinion with spades. He came up, he stepped up. True leadership. When you’re negotiating within the family … things get a little bumpy.”

Toronto Mayor John Tory said earlier this summer that the city faced $1.5 billion in pandemic-related costs and needed help to avoid serious cutbacks and even loss of local transit services.

He said Thursday the deal will have a positive impact on the city’s finances, but said he is still waiting for details on how Ontario’s portion will be allocated.

“I know Premier Ford is mindful of … the tremendous damage that has been inflicted upon transit systems by the pandemic,” he said.

Meanwhile, the top doctor for Ontario’s Windsor-Essex region said Thursday progress is being made to bring COVID-19 outbreaks on local farms under control.

Dr. Wajid Ahmed said approximately 150 workers in the region have active cases of the virus, down from more than 300 weeks earlier. The health unit reported that another 11 agri-food workers tested positive for the virus on Thursday.

“I think that’s definitely an improvement from where we were,” he said. “But the challenge is the unique nature of the industry … and the congregate living setting that we are talking about.”

Farms in Windsor-Essex have been hit hard by COVID-19, with five currently in outbreak. Two local workers have died from the illness.

Migrant workers spend their days and nights in close quarters, which advocates say makes physical distancing hard and has led to the rapid spread of the virus on farms.

The farm outbreaks delayed the economic reopening in the Windsor-Essex region, particularly in the towns of Leamington and Kingsville, which were the final two communities to reach Stage 2 last week. The region will be one of 10 left behind as the rest of the province advances to Stage 3 on Friday.

Ford toured the area Thursday morning, stopping in to get his first haircut in months at a barbershop in Leamington, Ont.

Late last week, local leaders called on either the provincial or federal government to take charge of the response to the farm outbreaks.

They outlined their concerns in a formal request to the province last week, but Ford wouldn’t say Thursday if the government had responded.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath criticized the premier for focusing too much of his time on photo ops in the region instead of providing leadership on the farm outbreak issue.

“It’s really tone deaf to the problems that folks are facing,” she said. “It’s just unbelievable that the government isn’t stepping up on the co-ordination piece that they’re being asked to do.”

Ontario reported 111 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and five new deaths related to the virus.

Meanwhile, Ontario extended pandemic emergency orders until July 29. The orders cover the redeployment of health-care workers and temporary management of long-term care homes. They also prohibit price-gouging.

An emergency order permitting curbside delivery of cannabis has also been extended.

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A former Progressive Conservative legislator ousted from the party caucus for voting against a sweeping new law that extends pandemic emergency orders said she opposed the measure because it gives Premier Doug Ford’s government too much power.

Karahalios said Bill 195 removes key checks and balances imbedded in the legislative process. The legislator said her internal attempts to change the bill failed, prompting her to break ranks with her party on Tuesday and vote against the new law.

Premier Doug Ford defended the bill and his decision to oust Karahalios from the caucus on Wednesday, saying he could not tolerate her voting against the law.

Watch: Ford defends removing MPP from caucus

Ford said the emergency measures need to remain available to his government in case of a surge of COVID-19 cases.

“This is one of the single most important pieces of legislation to protect the people of Ontario, bottom line, full stop,” Ford said. “It’s about making sure that we protect people in long term care, making sure our hospital system keeps moving.”

Ford says he spent two days with Karahalios last week and she never voiced any disapproval.

Karahalios told 680 NEWS there was no time to speak about it while he was in Cambridge, but had asked him to call her at the end of the trip, and when he did not, she reached out to the Premier’s office and let them know she wanted to discuss the bill.

“I wasn’t given that time to speak with him, but I did, however, make my discomfort with the bill known to many of my colleagues,” she said. “I asked for two briefings on the bill … and it was still very vague for me. I was given talking points rather than a really good explanation.”

Karahalios said her job was to make sure the voices of my constituents are heard at the legislature.

“It was a resounding no from my constituents. I voted the way they wanted me to vote,” said Karahalios “I was removed from caucus for doing my job.”

“People before party … At the end of the day, politicians of all stripes need to step back and remember who put you in your role, who can take you out of that role and the amount of trust you are given in a role like this.”

Karahalios called the bill an “unnecessary overreach” on parliamentary democracy shortly after the vote.

She said she was most concerned that there was no voting on the decisions being made by the Premier.

Karahalios said the new law permits the government to lock down regions again with very little debate or oversight from the legislature.

“I understand the need to be able to be flexible … but if you’re going to, for example, lock us down again, I need to be able to have a say at that table on behalf of the people of Cambridge,” she said. “Every (legislator) should have a say in that because our communities are going to feel very differently about a second lockdown.”

Karahalios said some of her colleagues were concerned that the bill went too far and were warned that they would be kicked out of caucus if they voted against it.

“I know a lot of my colleagues are very uncomfortable, but voted yes because they feared retribution and we saw what happened to me for voting no,” she said.

Karahalios added she was glad she voted the way she did.

Ford denied that the bill has caused any internal rifts within his party.

“Within a caucus we have some good comments, good heated discussions,” Ford said at his daily news conference. “But at the end of the day, you come out united. This is about working for the people and making sure you represent the people. But when you get into politics you’re part of a team.”

Bill 195 allows the government to extend emergency orders originally enacted to allow the province to better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill empowers the government to keep measures in place for one month at a time for as long as two years.

Ford said the bill will allow the government to react swiftly in the event that the number of provincial COVID-19 cases begins to surge again.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath praised Karahalios for standing up for her principles and voting against her own government’s bill.

“Mr. Ford simply cannot tolerate a difference of opinion, and he punishes people severely when they dare to stand up to him,” she said.

Green party Leader Mike Schreiner said he admired Karahalios for sticking to her values and voting against the government law.

“Doug Ford previously stated that his MPPs would be allowed to vote freely on non-spending bills,” Schreiner said in a statement. “Now he has ejected … Karahalios for doing exactly that. You don’t get a healthy democracy by dictating votes and punishing free expression.”

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The Ford government tells 680 NEWS that it is planning to recall the legislature to sit Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday in order to enact the controversial notwithstanding clause.

The marathon session will also include an overnight sitting Saturday from midnight to 7:00 a.m.

The notwithstanding clause, which has never been used in Ontario, allows federal or provincial governments to override sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The provincial government plans to invoke it in order to overturn a court decision this week that ruled certain parts of the Elections Finances Act are unconstitutional for limiting third party advertising.

Enacted under the Wynne Liberal government, the Elections Finances Act stated that third party advertisers, individuals or groups, could spend $600,000 in the six months before an election, the Ford government expanded it to $600,000 in the 12 months preceding an election.

However, Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Morgan declared the recent changes by the province were unconstitutional. The premier plans to enact the notwithstanding clause to overturn that ruling.

Government House leader Paul Calandra told 680 NEWS Thursday that he will use “every tool at my disposal” in order to overturn the ruling.

“I think protecting the fairness of an election is exactly what this was designed for,” said Callandra. “We are doing it to protect a fair election in Ontario”

“Right now there is no law in the province of Ontario so we are back to really a Wild West situation in the province of Ontario where there are no limits or accountabilities on 3rd party spending so that’s why you were moving very quickly to bring back the legislature”

Calandra says that there will be a question period on Monday and perhaps one on Saturday as well and that he believes the government could pass the notwithstanding act by Monday afternoon.

Duff Conacher with Democracy Watch tells 680 NEWS he thinks Fords use of the notwithstanding clause could get overturned in court.

“I predict that you will see this decision by Ford challenged in court as an unconstitutional use of the notwithstanding clause”

“It’s undemocratic and dictatorial and illegal for Doug Ford to invoke the notwithstanding clause to impose his arbitrary excessive and unconstitutional spending restrictions on advertising that go much further than any government has tried to do in Canada. Several constitutional experts believe that the notwithstanding clause cannot be used anytime the premier or Prime Minister wants to for whatever reason they want and I predict that you will see this decision by Ford challenged in court as an unconstitutional move an unconstitutional use of the notwithstanding clause “

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he “won’t spare a penny” to help fight the northern wildfires and support evacuees, but he isn’t declaring a state of emergency.

Ford made the comments today in Thunder Bay, where he is visiting the wildfire command centre and meeting with evacuees and community leaders.

First Nation leaders have called on Ontario to declare a state of emergency over the situation, but Ford says it wouldn’t make any more resources available, it would just mean the province taking over everything.

Government officials have said the legal conditions have not been met to declare a state of emergency, which include a lack of available resources to support the crisis.

The head of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which represents 49 First Nations in northern Ontario, said ahead of the premier’s visit that he intended to tell Ford the government isn’t doing enough.

Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler says there are 1,300 people in Pikangikum First Nation who are waiting to be flown out, but they have nowhere to go.

More than 3,000 people have already been evacuated from First Nations communities as the province battles a wildfire season that’s more aggressive than usual.

Officials said this week that the number of wildfires is nearly double the 10-year average.

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Ontario Place and its surrounding attractions are getting a full-blown makeover.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford made the announcement alongside Culture Minister Lisa MacLeod and Toronto Mayor John Tory, revealing a long-term theme park redevelopment plan.

Ford says this will present “an exciting, inclusive and family-friendly experience that will play a key role in the province’s post-pandemic recovery, both as a tourism destination and as a display of Ontario’s strong cultural identity.”

“As we mark the 50th anniversary of Ontario Place this year, there is no better time to bring this iconic destination back to life,” said Premier Ford on Friday.

“By taking this first step with our world-class development partners, as well as the City of Toronto and Indigenous communities, we will deliver a renewed Ontario Place that provides year-round entertainment for all ages and interests. As we continue to engage and consult with the community, Ontario Place will realize its full potential as a long-term economic generator for the people of Ontario.”

The government is teaming up with Therme Group – a global wellbeing leader – for the park’s redesign. Therme Group describes its vision as to create “the world’s most advanced wellbeing resorts, achieved by harnessing the complex interplay of nature, technology and culture.”

The province says once completed, “Therme Canada/Ontario Place” will be a family-friendly experience with options that appeal to everyone, including pools, waterslides, botanical gardens to relax, and sports performance and recovery services.

Outside, people will enjoy more than eight acres of free, publicly accessible gathering spaces, parkland, gardens and beaches.

Starting in August, the government will launch the next phase of engagement through its website, providing an opportunity for all Ontarians to voice their thoughts and share a vision on how they would like to experience a redeveloped Ontario Place.

The province is also teaming up with American events promoter and venue operator Live Nation to revamp Budweiser Stage and transform the venue into a “modern, year-round indoor-outdoor live music and performance venue.”

“Protecting the iconic amphitheatre lawns, the new venue will have an expanded capacity of 20,000 in the summer and close to 9,000 in the winter, offering a unique indoor-outdoor experience with operable exterior walls to accommodate events, rain or shine,” the government says.

The redesigned amphitheatre will be designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across energy savings, water efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources.

Completion of the newly designed amphitheatre is expected by 2030.

Écorécréo Group, a Canadian-based company, specializing in developing original and adapted activities at large-scale public tourism sites, is also building what the government calls an “affordable, all-season adventure park for all ages.”

“This new, environmentally friendly attraction will include aerial obstacle courses, net-based aerial adventures, ziplines, climbing walls, escape rooms and many other activities. Écorécréo Group will also operate Segway, quad-cycle, canoe and kayak rentals at the site.”

The all-season park will be completed by 2024 to entertain over 500,000 visitors per year by 2030.

Minister MacLeod says the province “actively searched” for the best partners worldwide to work with on the redevelopment of Ontario Place.

“Our government remains committed to redeveloping Ontario Place in a sustainable way – respecting our historical and natural features while at the same time showcasing Ontario as the world in one province – a true reflection of our diversity and multiculturalism, while also showing respect for the rich traditions, cultures and heritage of First Nation, Inuit, and Métis peoples,” she said.

“A modern, new Ontario Place will attract local, provincial and international visitors, and create unforgettable memories for a new generation.”

The Progressive Conservative government has been seeking to redevelop the Toronto attraction that was closed to the public in 2012 after years of financial losses.

Ford’s government has envisioned a brand new space and transforming the park that first opened in 1971 into an impressive attraction.

RELATED: 3 companies chosen for Ontario Place redevelopment: report

Former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders was appointed this spring as a special adviser to the province on its park redevelopment.

In an update, the provincial government says Saunders will continue to engage with the City of Toronto, Indigenous communities, project stakeholders, businesses and community groups that have an interest in the Ontario Place site to “ensure all perspectives on these important proposals are recognized and considered.”

Mayor Tory praised the province’s move to redevelop Ontario Place.

“I’ve said publicly many times that I want to see something spectacular here at Ontario Place, and I believe this ongoing process will deliver that,” Tory said. “I welcome the fact that the proposals being unveiled today respond to many of the things City Council had asked for, including that Ontario Place should be a year-round destination.”

The redevelopment is expected to keep key features, including Trillium Park, the Cinesphere Theatre, and the entire pods.

Ontario’s Culture Minister says the “vision for Ontario Place” will not include casinos or condos and that the land will not be sold. She also says the site’s essential heritage and recreational features will remain in place.

Ontario Place will remain open to the public year-round.

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Under pressure from U.S. safety regulators, Ford is recalling about two million F-150 pickup trucks in North America, including nearly 340,000 in Canada, because the seat belts can spark and cause fires when they deploy during a crash.

The recall of F-150 pickup trucks from the 2015 through 2018 model years comes about one month after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating fires, including three that destroyed trucks.

Ford said Thursday that it has reports of smoke or fire in 17 U.S. trucks and six Canadian trucks, but it’s not aware of any injuries.

According to Ford, seat belt pretensioners can generate excessive sparks when they tighten before a crash. That can ignite gases inside a support pillar between the front and rear seats, causing insulation and carpet to catch fire.

The vehicles affected are:

• 2015-18 Ford F-150 vehicles built at Dearborn Assembly Plant, March 12, 2014 through Aug. 23, 2018
• 2015-18 Ford F-150 vehicles built at Kansas City Assembly Plant, Aug. 20, 2014 through Aug. 23, 2018

There are 339,884 of the vehicles in Canada, 1,619,112 in the U.S. and 36,780 in Mexico.

The seat belt pretensioners were made by ZF-TRW and Takata, the now-defunct air bag and seat belt maker that was purchased by Joyson, another auto parts supplier.

Dealers will remove insulation and install heat-resistant tape to repair the trucks. They also will remove remnants of wiring tape and modify interior panels in Regular Cab trucks. Owners will be notified starting Sept. 24.

In one of the complaints filed with the U.S. government, an owner in Grand Rapids, Michigan, told NHTSA that on July 7, a deer ran into the driver’s side of a pickup, causing minor damage. The side air bags inflated, and after five to 10 minutes, a passenger noticed a fire on the bottom of the post between the front and rear doors where the seat belts are located. “The truck went up in complete flames in a matter of minutes and is a complete loss,” the owner wrote.

People who file complaints are not identified in the NHTSA database.

Ford said in a filing Thursday with U.S. securities regulators that the recall will cost about $140 million and will be counted in third-quarter results.

Ford has more details on the recall on its website.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is recommending his principal secretary for a full-time position at the Ontario Energy Board.

In a statement on Friday, Ford said he is putting Jenni Byrne’s name in for an appointment to a two-year term.

“I am pleased to put Jenni’s name forward to join the OEB,” the statement read.

“I know Jenni would work with her future colleagues on the Board, and the professionals at the OEB, to bring utility rates under control and make life more affordable for Ontario families and businesses.”

Byrne is one of Ford’s most seasoned advisors and previously worked under Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

“Jenni has been an invaluable resource not only to me and the staff in the Premier’s Office, but indeed to all members of the Government of the People,” the statement continued.

“I wish to sincerely thank her for dedication in working in the best interests of the people of Ontario.”

There has been no word on who would replace Byrne, should the appointment be approved.

Premier Doug Ford intends to recommend the appointment of Jenni Byrne to the Ontario Energy Board #onpoli pic.twitter.com/1pqovipSs5

— Ontario PC Press (@PCPressOffice) January 11, 2019

Ford is recalling more than 550,000 trucks and SUVs in North America because seat backs may not properly restrain people in a crash.

The recall covers certain 2018 through 2020 F-150 pickups, 2019 and 2020 Super Duty trucks, 2018 and 2019 Explorer SUVs, and 2019 and 2020 Expedition SUVs. All have manual driver or front passenger seat-back recliner mechanisms.

Also included are some 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs with rear seats with manual seat-back mechanisms.

Ford says the trucks may not have a third pawl needed for seat strength, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. Ford says it doesn’t know of any crashes or injuries.

Dealers will inspect seat structures and replace them if needed. Most are expected to pass. Owners will be notified starting Oct. 7.

The Ford Motor Co. has announced that it will be temporarily suspending production at its plants in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The suspension will begin after Thursday evening’s shifts and last until March 30.

“We’re continuing to work closely with union leaders, especially the United Auto Workers, to find ways to help keep our workforce healthy and safe – even as we look at solutions for continuing to provide the vehicles customers really want and need,” Kumar Galhotra, Ford’s president of North America, said in a statement.

“In these unprecedented times, we’re exploring unique and creative solutions to support our workforce, customers, dealers, suppliers and communities.”

While production is stopped the plants will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.

Ford temporarily closed its Michigan Assembly Plant final assembly building Wednesday morning after an employee tested positive for the COVID-19.

The motor giant said it’s working with workers’ unions to figure out the best way the plants can use social distancing and explore additional protocols and procedures to help prevent the spread of the virus.

A spokesperson with the Ontario government told CityNews that no announcement has been scheduled regarding the reopening of the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, even though Premier Doug Ford said there likely would be.

Ford made the comments during a photo opportunity at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on Wednesday afternoon.

The premier said he is meeting with his cabinet in the afternoon, after which time they will have a better idea of the timing and will make an announcement “probably on Monday.”

“Our goal is to open up the economy safely, I know a couple of the hot zones might be a week later. But, especially in the northern and rural areas, we want to get the economy opening up, but safely. That’s the number one priority,” said Ford.

Ford’s comments were made ahead of the province’s decision to reopen schools and resume in-person learning starting Feb. 8.

Health experts have been calling for the government to not ease restrictions and re-open schools at the same time.

The province has been under a stay-at-home order since Jan. 14 when Ford declared a second state of emergency since the pandemic started last March. It is expected to end on Feb. 9, unless the order is extended.

A new poll shows Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives would win the most votes if the election were held today, despite some criticism of their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The online survey, conducted by polling firm Leger, found that 38 per cent of decided voters would vote for Premier Doug Ford’s Tories — slightly less than the 40.5 per cent they got in the 2018 election when they won a majority government.

Ontario has been one of the provinces hardest hit by the pandemic, and the Ford government has been blamed for failing to protect people in long-term care homes, where the novel coronavirus has killed more than 3,750 residents.

“(Ford) has been on TV almost every day and he has his share of detractors but he has a good portion of supporters as well”

The province has also faced criticism from the opposition parties, unions and parents over its refusal to legislate paid sick days for workers, reduce class sizes in schools and for its often-confusing messaging on pandemic and vaccination protocols.

The Ford government has spent billions of dollars on pandemic relief, and pledged billions more on recovery efforts, resulting in a $33.1-billion deficit that will take nearly a decade to eliminate.

Andrew Enns, executive vice-president of Leger, said he was struck by the stability of Ford’s support considering how tumultuous the past 12 months have been for Ontario — and Canada.

“(Ford) has been on TV almost every day and he has his share of detractors but he has a good portion of supporters as well, which is pretty good given the year that he’s led a government in,” said Enns.

When asked about how the Progressive Conservatives have handled the COVID-19 pandemic, 63 per cent of the poll respondents said the party has done well.

That includes 59 per cent of Liberal party supporters, 45 per cent of NDP voters, and 44 per cent of Green party supporters.

Enns said that the poll’s results indicate it would be a mistake for the opposition parties to try and make the government’s handling of COVID-19 into a single-issue question in the next election, which is about 14 months away.

“Overall those are pretty good numbers for a government to say ‘well, if you want a referendum (on the pandemic) bring it on,'” said Enns.

Of the 1,000 Ontario residents aged 18 and older who responded to the Leger poll, 28 per cent said they would support the NDP, down from the 33.6 per cent of voters the party carried in 2018.

Support for the provincial Liberals, meanwhile, has jumped to 23 per cent from 19.6 per cent in the last provincial election, when they suffered a devastating defeat and lost official party status.

Enns noted that 98 per cent of responders were aware of who Ford is, an exceptionally high rate that he said is likely a result of the premier’s almost daily media appearances for briefings on the province’s COVID-19 response.

Public awareness of the opposition politicians stood at 87 per cent for NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, 57 per cent for Liberal Leader Stephen Del Duca and 50 per cent for Green party Leader Mike Schreiner.

The survey was conducted between March 15 and 22.

Online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.

____

This is a corrected story. An earlier version said the Progressive Conservatives would get 38.5 per cent of the vote if the election were held today.

The prime minister says Ontario Premier Doug Ford has asked Ottawa to suspend the arrival of international students in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Justin Trudeau says Ontario is the only province to make this request.

Trudeau says he’s not considering barring international students from entering Canada at this point, but he’s willing to work “more narrowly” with Ontario.

Ford has repeatedly blamed the COVID-19 pandemic’s third wave on “porous borders.”

The premier has also called on the federal government to institute hotel quarantines at land borders.

Trudeau says there are already tight controls at land borders, including tests before and after crossing and mandatory two-week quarantines.