By Canadian Press

Manitoba tightens COVID-19 rules as Ontario considers loosening them

Nov 2, 2020 | 11:28 AM

TORONTO — Manitoba is looking into imposing a curfew to help contain the spread of COVID-19 as Ontario considers whether to loosen restrictions in some hot spots.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister says he is weighing the measure after reports of large parties being promoted online in Winnipeg, despite tighter restrictions already in place in the city. 

The news comes as a series of new COVID-19 rules take effect across Manitoba, with the capital city under more stringent restrictions. 

The Winnipeg region faces a ban on indoor service at bars and restaurants, and a limit of 25 per cent capacity for most retail stores, among other measures. Bars, restaurants and stores in the rest of Manitoba are limited to half capacity. 

The new rules — which include a provincewide cap of five people for public gatherings — were announced Friday, and the province reported hundreds of new cases over the weekend.

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Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is considering whether to lift a number of restrictions imposed on a handful of hot spot regions.

The restrictions set in place in Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa on Oct. 10 are set to expire at the end of the week and Ford has said he asked health officials to come up with a plan to allow shuttered businesses to safely reopen.

He said Monday the decision is coming “very soon,” but gave no further details.

The restrictions were put in place for 28 days and, among other things, closed gyms and banned indoor dining at restaurants and bars. York Region was later added to the list of hot spots, with the new rules taking effect there on Oct. 19.  

The premier has faced criticism from those who believe the restrictions have been unnecessarily burdensome, and those who argue it’s too early to roll them back.

“I’m just trying to do a happy balance,” he said Monday.

Ontario reported 948 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, and seven new deaths due to the virus.

Most of the new cases remain in the four hot spot regions currently under more stringent COVID-19 rules: Toronto, Peel and York regions, and Ottawa.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2020.

Paola Loriggio, The Canadian Press