Haldimand-Norfolk to move to Phase 2

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Monday, June 13, that Haldimand-Norfolk on Friday, June 19, would move to the second phase of the province’s plan to restart the Ontario economy as progress is made in the fight against COVID-19.

Southwestern Public Health, which includes Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford, moved to Phase 2 as of Friday, June 12, along with much of the rest of the province.

The Greater Toronto Area, the “Golden Horseshoe,” Haldimand-Norfolk, Sarnia-Lambton and Windsor Essex remained at Phase 1 at the time, because of the number of cases in those communities and concerns about outbreaks in them.

That meant that shopping malls and businesses such as hair salons and barbershops remained closed in those areas.

Premier Ford said Monday that in addition to Haldimand-Norfolk, Niagara, Durham, Hamilton, York, Halton and Sarnia-Lambton would be moved to Phase 2 on Friday, June 19.

“This will mean more people going back to work,” he said. As for the Greater Toronto Area, Peel and Windsor-Essex, he asked them to “Please be patient. We can’t let our guard down,” but pandemic numbers were improving in those communities.