GTHA Mayors and Chairs condemn protests targeting hospitals

HAMILTON, ON - Today, Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area held their regular weekly meeting to discuss the ongoing response to COVID-19 across the region.

The Mayors and Chairs discussed the ongoing work underway to drive up vaccination rates across the GTHA. All municipalities are committed to supporting vaccination efforts to reach the province's target of 90 per cent of eligible residents being fully vaccinated.

Throughout the pandemic, we have all relied on our frontline healthcare heroes to save lives and help people. Hospital workers across the GTHA deserve our collective thanks and should not be made the target of anti-vaccine protests and the spreading of misinformation. People go to hospitals because they need medical help – they also don’t deserve to be harassed or intimidated by protests. The Mayors and Chairs strongly condemn protests intentionally targeting hospitals and support our enforcement officials in taking any action they deem necessary to protect our hospitals and keep patients and healthcare workers safe.

During today's meeting, the Mayors and Chairs also discussed initiatives underway to help refugees from Afghanistan expected to settle in the GTHA over the coming months. The Mayors and Chairs support the work underway by community organizations on this resettlement effort and look forward to all governments working together to help people.

“We all want this pandemic to end. While everyone has the right to protest, it does not give license to harass hospital workers and obstruct access to care. This abhorrent behaviour will not be tolerated. Fighting the fourth wave to protect the health and safety of all residents and local businesses is a community effort. It cannot be done alone, we need to work together.”

- Mayor Fred Eisenberger