Ontario Premier Doug Ford addressed media on Monday, on the two month anniversary of the lockdown in his province.
Ontario is fresh off the heals of their lowest daily increase in coronavirus cases, with Sunday's figure of just over 200 cases being the lowest in nearly two months.
Ontario has since begun a "steady and gradual" reopening of the province, including curb-side retail and garden centres, construction sights, and provincial parks reopening to limited access.
"We're reopening things safely, and with strict public health measures in place," said Ford. "Today, thousands of people are going back to work."
Ford commented on the strategic stockpile of personal protective equipment that was intended to be used in case of a pandemic or national emergency. Ford said that a stockpile deficit would "never happen again," saying that there were "certain areas" that the rest of the country relied on Ontario for, and that the province would be able to support the rest of country, "as Alberta did with us."
"When we were having problems, who stepped up but Premier Kenney and Alberta stepped up... That's what a country does," said Ford.
Ford commented on the case of an Ontario man who was speeding 200 kilometres an hour over the speed limit, saying that he didn't know vehicles could even go that fast, and that the young man was lucky to be alive.
When asked about the $41 billion deficit projection, Finance Minister Rod Phillips said that the province will "continue to monitor" a number of scenarios, as the current forecast is difficult to measure due to the government still being in the midst of fighting the virus and its financial impacts.
When asked about whether or not families should be able to reconvene, Ford drew from personal experience, giving the example of his daughters visiting with "none of the husbands or boyfriends... just themselves." Ford said that as long as the people of Ontario kept it to "as small as possible gatherings," that it would be "helpful" to the province.
In a lighthearted moment regarding family gatherings, Ford noted that it was incredibly important to ensure that supply chains remained strong, especially for goods such as yeast, flour, and toilet paper, as more families begin to bake across the province.
Ford then said that he makes "the best cherry cheesecake ever, from scratch."
I hereby formally challenge Doug Ford to a cherry cheesecake cook-off. Your move, @fordnation pic.twitter.com/uMenVTY3J1
— ROBERTO WAKERELL-CRUZ ?? (@Robertopedia) May 11, 2020
In terms of visiting and seeing family and friends, Ford said that visits should be kept to immediate family, but to use "best judgement" when it came to seniors or parents.
"People are the best when it comes to their own judgement and the health and well-being of their own family," said Ford.
Ford also said that until a consistent downward trend is seen for two weeks, that a state of emergency will have to continue.
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