Mayor John Tory says city staff are currently working on an answer for what to do with home daycares in the city, as all licensed daycares are currently closed.
“I know it causes people pain and hardship in the context of there having child care available to them, but better safe than sorry,” Tory said Monday.
Tory said the issue came up in the city’s morning emergency management meeting, but it remains a grey area.
“Groups of five or more are prohibited in any event, so that would take care of some of them and cause them to have to be closed, but with respect to ones that are smaller than that, I don’t have an answer for that,” he said, adding it would certainly be difficult for children to follow two-metre separation rules.
Toronto Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa agrees.
“Not having people congregate within any setting, licensed or otherwise, would certainly help towards that,” she said.
Tory was also asked if the city is considering closing public parks, but says that would be practically impossible.
The city has removed chairs and benches where possible and Tory says he would hope they wouldn’t have to wrap bolted benches.
Toronto reported 1,301 confirmed cases Monday, including 223 probable ones.
Of those, 145 people are in hospital, with 60 in ICU and Toronto Public Health says there have been 32 deaths.
15 of the deaths have links to long-term care and nursing homes.
On Monday, Tory also announced corporate partnerships have led to food contributions to food banks, home delivery programs and multi-service centres, with library branches being identified as food banks.
As for the new social distancing bylaw which includes a possible $1,000 for not being two metres apart, Fire Chief Matthew Pegg says on the weekend they issued 26 tickets, while 976 people were cautioned.