GTHA Mayors and Chairs readying municipalities for moving beyond Step Three of the provincial reopening

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.

More than a week after the province moved into Step Three of the reopening, the Mayors and Chairs discussed how their municipalities continue to see lower COVID-19 case counts and ever increasing vaccination rates.  

The Mayors and Chairs are committed to making sure as many people across the GTHA get fully vaccinated over the coming weeks to help protect the region from the Delta variant and the threat of a fourth wave. We are encouraging all residents to get vaccinated to help ensure the reopening continues unabated.

We know that the province will remain in Step Three for at least 21 days and until 80% of the eligible population aged 12 and over has received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 75% have received their second, with no public health unit having less than 70% of their eligible population aged 12 and over fully vaccinated. The Mayors and Chairs want the GTHA to hit those important milestones as quickly as possible.

Those percentages are crucial to making sure the GTHA and all of Ontario can move beyond Step Three so the Mayors and Chairs strongly encourage all residents to get their first and second shots and to encourage everyone they know – their family, their friends, their neighbours – to get vaccinated now. This will go a long way in ensuring the GTHA can move beyond Step Three and come back stronger than ever.

“We continue to see an uptake in COVID-19 vaccinations in our community and must continue to encourage everyone to get their first and second dose of the vaccine as soon as they are eligible. Walk-in appointments have made access to the vaccine even more seamless. It is encouraging to see the positive impact, both on our local businesses and in the lives of residents, as we all work together to beat this virus.”

- Mayor Fred Eisenberger