Premier Doug Ford announced on Tuesday afternoon that the province will soon enter Stage 1 of lifting public health measures, following a steady decline in positive coronavirus cases.

The premier hinted in his daily press conference that he would have "good news" to share on Thursday, including what Stage 1 of lifting public health measures will look like. The government released a framework for opening up the province on April 27, but did not flesh out what Stage 1 would entail, other than to say it would permit "select workplaces" that can meet public health guidelines, allow some "small gatherings" of an unspecified number and open up more public spaces.

The Stage 1 preview followed similar hints from Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams on Monday, and also the news that the premier has twice broken public health guidelines — one time to visit his family cottage to check on the pipes, and the other to have his adult daughters over this past weekend.

Social gatherings are currently limited to five people, and the premier declined to say whether that could increase to 10 in Thursday's announcement. So far the government has only eased public health restrictions on the margins, like allowing garden centres to open to coincide with the spring season, or allowing curbside retail pickup. The government has also announced opening up provincial parks to some uses, while amenities remain unavailable.

Williams added that allowing "wider connectivity" to allow people to meet would be considered, and added that the strong numbers in the general public, as opposed to the devastating results from long-term care homes, was part of the decision.

The premier's announcement came with some confusion. At first it appeared that Stage 1 would begin on Thursday, although Williams later said the province isn't ready. "No I would have recommended if we’re already there but we haven’t yet."

Premier's office spokesperson Ivana Yelich followed up to clarify, "We are not announcing that we are in Stage 1 on Thursday, but rather providing more details about Stage 1."

Green Leader Mike Schreiner expressed his concern about the province easing public health restrictions without widespread testing and contact tracing to ensure Ontario stays on top of the virus.

"The demand for tests will go up as more people go back to work, and we must be able to guarantee that testing and contact tracing will happen quickly and efficiently," he argued in a statement.

"Chronic testing delays like the ones we are seeing will be a recipe for workplace outbreaks of COVID-19, which will put the reopening we all want at risk."

In response to questions from the media, the premier agreed that the province should pursue random testing, although it has frequently missed its own testing goals that fall well short of that mark.

Ontario looks poised to begin lifting some public health restrictions although it is still seeing more than 300 positive case a day. That's a far cry from the likes of South Korea and New Zealand, which waited to get to near-zero before implementing similar measures. However, it's also less loose than Quebec, which has seen worse numbers than Ontario but has announced the reopening of public schools and child care, with a delayed opening for Montreal, which has seen the brunt of the devastation.

The announcement that good news was on the way and some public health guidelines could soon be eased came as the government extended the state of emergency until June 2.

That status gives the government special unilateral powers to bypass the legislature, and the premier's office has announced such measures as anti-price gouging provisions and limiting which businesses can remain open, all in the name of ensuring the best health outcomes.

But Independent MPP Randy Hillier, a former PC member with an abiding belief in civil liberties and parliamentary rights, did not let the extension of the state of emergency pass without letting his voice be heard.

The Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston representative did not grant unanimous consent to the item, triggering afternoon debate in which he made his case. "I reject the continuation of this state of emergency," he told QP Briefing by phone. He argued that when the pandemic was first declared in March there was significant uncertainty, and the state of emergency was "prudent and wise" until more was known.

Now that it is, and the house sees fit to resume sitting with social distancing measures in place, he would like to see the rights of the house that were essentially transferred to the government in the state of emergency restored. "We must return to due process and we will overcome the effects of the virus," he said, adding that "fear" is a significant symptom of the pandemic.

The measure passed following afternoon debate.

Premier announces Stage 1 details to lift public health measures coming soon

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