>>Good afternoon
everyone.
It is great to be back
along with our
municipal partners
John Henry,
would be mayor
and Oshawa Mayor
and I just took
the go train
with Minister
of Mulroney
and others
and our local champions
Lauren Cole and Lizzie
Park and it is great
that it was a real
great experience
so I will tell you it
was clean, safe, reliable
and it is a world-class
commuter service.
I want to recognize Phil
and chair Metrolink
chair
Don
and Don is another
champion
and I have to thank
Karen Cameron
the Ontario public
transit Association
and the folks at
the Association for
their extraordinary work
and the truth is we are
in good hands with her
public transit agencies
and their working
incredibly hard to make
sure each and every
writer has a safe
experience
because many rely
on essential service
and ensuring a safe
public transit experience
is even more important
now that people are
returning to work
and our kids are
returning to school.
Worked around-the-clock
with municipal partners
to keep transit going
throughout the pandemic
because without transit
people cannot get to
work, they cannot get
to school and without
transit over front-line
workers
can't get to
the patient,
workers can't get to
the factories or keep
grocery store
shelves stocked and we
need writers and workers
to have confidence when
they take Go train
a subway or streetcar
or bus
there are necessary
safety measures in place
like mask requirements,
physical barriers,
and sanitizing stations,
frequent cleaning
of vehicles
and transit riders
need to so they are
safe taking transit and
that is why we consulted
with Doctor Williams and
the command table to
deliver public health
guidance
for transit operators
based on the best
available medical
advice and science
to keep riders entrance
stop state
and that is why we
fought for transit
at the table with the
federal government
during a save restart
negotiations and secure
over $2 billion to keep
transit system running
and money and purchase
PPE for staff
and address their
shortfalls.
We have already
announced
the first round of
funding to media support
municipal transit
agencies
as a preferred
work computers
in the fall
and we could not
have done it
without the support of
our incredible municipal
partners and my friends,
everyone standing on
this platform today, all
agencies across the
province, or making sure
you and your family
can get back to work
in school safely
on our public transit
systems and thank you
and God bless
!
God bless the people of
Ontario and now I will
pass it over to Mr
-- minister Maroney.
>>Thank you as Ontario
gradually opens
and kids return to
school and peers go back
to work our government
is doing everything we
can to protect commuters
and family
to resume the use
of public transit
and health and safety
precautions taken by
transit offers we are
confident people can
feel safe other daily
commute term
everyone using Go drink
us away a buzz in this
regard should feel
safe and confident
which is why transit
providers are working
hard to protect staff
and passengers permit
we are working closely
with Metrolink to be a
leader in public safety
is a per hectare
to add more go bus and
train services beginning
September 5 (Speaks
foreign language)
(Speaks French)
Metrolink's increase
the frequency
of deep cleaning at all
work locations, stations
and vehicles and
installed seed dividers
undergo trains and buses
and hand sanitizer
dispensers are provided
on every cobras and
transit and express
station and health and
safety kiosks have been
added at several stations
to provide tools and
advice on how to stay
safe and passengers
can choose
to gather temperatures
cheque term
we provided municipality
with $15 million
in funding
for enhanced cleaning
(Speaks French)
These measures follow
our government
comprehensive
health and safety
got its
for public transit
systems to help protect
employees
And passengers to the
Covid-19 outbreak
and I would like
to remind everyone
who will be
using transit
in the coming weeks
to follow public health
advice and requirements
by transit systems
while practicing poor
social distance he
covered face coverings
and washing hands and we
will continue to stop
the product Covid-19
to protect the health
and well-being of
communities as a
province reopens
and we returned to
work and to school.
I will now pass it over
to Associate Minister of
transportation.
>>Thank you minister
Moberly.
So much change this year
and our government's
commitment to the health
and well-being of the
people of Ontario will
never change
and it is safe
!
A safe and convenient
transit expires is
important
to families and
individuals whether to
take students to school,
to work or to buy
groceries transit is
essential of our daily
lives and it takes cars
off roads to reduce
congestion.
It reduces greenhouse
gas emissions,
connects people to
places and opportunities.
We are always working
to make transit
improvements
and we will not stop.
Transit
are working hard to
protect staff and
passengers and were
working closely with
Metrolink's to be a
leader and Public
Safety.
I am proud of the
measures Metrolink is
taking to keep Ontarians
safe and our government
and the team at
Metrolink is making
safety a priority and we
are reminded passengers
to do your part to help
protect each other
and to not take public
transit if you are sick.
Where a face covering
and wash hands
frequently and if you
are unable to use one of
the many hand sanitizing
stations
available throughout
your journey and by
working together we can
make public transit safe
and convenient to get
around for everyone
and with that I will
turn it over to the
chair of the board
of Metrolink sperm
!
Metrolink.
>>It is a pleasure to be
here today with you the
Premier Minister,
and all the
invited guests
we have collaborated
with all of
transit agencies
across Ontario
and this includes
personal protective
equipment
and a new contactless
experience and we have
many new projects
that go beyond Oshawa
we already have
a joint Metrolink
for the team working
on transit oriented
community investment.
Metrolink is privileged
to be here today
and it is now with
great pleasure
that I introduce
and advocate for
transit in Ontario
Karen.
>>When COLIN BONANG:
Arrived
he had to act fast
>>When COLIN BONANG:
Arrived
he had to act fast
and keep operating
even when ridership
plummeted
riders in the health,
janitorial and health
sectors needed
to get to work
and we relied on them
and they relied on
transit but someone else
we came to rely on, the
government of Ontario.
Throughout the pandemic
minister transit agency
and Premier Ford
was a champion
of a cleaning transit
in the safe
start agreement
thanks to them and the
federal government
public transit will
receive $2 billion in
support
without this help
transit systems
would be forced
to reduce service
because you help
is on the way
transept kept
running safely
in ways that it did
not crowd vehicles
and with measures
to keep drivers safe
such as shields
with the service levels
that don't make lower
income workers, sinners
wait unacceptably long
and seniors wait
unacceptably long
and the message is
simple and clear.
Thank you.
The speed with which you
acted is appreciated and
we could not have asked
for more committed
champion and look
forward to continuing to
work with you as finer
points keep transit
moving safely and it is
set often these are
unprecedented times but
some things are not
unprecedented.
Every day in communities
around Ontario people
depend on public transit
to get to work,
to get groceries,
to see doctors and
families and friends
and soon they will
go back to school
and align people to
do the usual in times
that are anything but
requires helping
public transit
and Premier Ford
were there when we
needed them so we could
be there when tear
is needed is.
Thank you.
With that I will pass
it over Lauren Co.
>>Thank you Karen
and I would like to
thank the Premier
and Ministers
and the good people
of Metrolink
for hosting today's
event and my writing is
home to many residents
reliant on public
transit every day
to get to work and
to school and the
overwhelming message
I heard today is
transit is a.
Writers can be convent
take the train, bus or
subway knowing that
every step has been taken
to put their health
and safety first
and I want to wish
everyone would be
a safe return to work
and a safe return
to school
and thank you for
joining us this
afternoon.
>>We go to the phone
line for questions
and it is one question
and one follow-up please.
>>How are you doing?
>>A long-term care
could you clarify
.
wasn't your government
looking
to ensure the numbers
stay down entering the
fall?
>>There are still a few
long-term care homes
managed by hospitals
and I am a strong
believer in campus for
care and we have
a hospital
and extra property
is thrown throw away
and we start building
and we have done in
Durham and elsewhere as
well
and over by the for
hundred Finch site
so it is really
important
we keep long-term care
is close to the hospitals
and we will continue
moving forward with
protocols and guidelines
implemented long-term
care.
Again, I want to stress
it is nothing I did.
It is the leadership
through the Minister
and through Minister
bulge in
has done an
incredible job
and I know Mr
-- Minister Fullerton
and the people that
manage a lot of these
homes were able to
gain control of it
and it was tough
but over 76,000
people are living
at long-term care
and one day we had zero
and I think the
other day was one
and today was one and
they deserve all the
credit in the world and
the PSW's are overworked
and underpaid and I'm
going to make sure we
take care of that as
they deserve more money.
They went into
an inferno
and none of them
complained.
They went in there
and did their job
and I am so grateful
for all the PSW's out
there.
>>Follow-up.
>>We recently have seen
stores and restaurants
shut down due to
Covid-19 cases.
How concerned
should people be
going out to shop
and for you,
>>I am concerned and
my heart breaks
for the small businesses
and these people are
struggling and holding
on by their fingernails
and we are doing
everything we can to
help them
and we had a discussion
with Deputy Prime
Minister
how we can help the
small business owners
and I think were coming
up with another plan to
support them moving
forward, but your heart
has to break for
these people.
They are doing
everything they can and
as far as safety
practice the golden
rules.
Were of face mask, wash
your hands and social
distance and that is
what we have to do.
My big concern is the
numbers we see every day
from 20-39 but when
you are looking
at large populations,
and it is not
their fault,
but they are making
60% of all cases
in an entire province
and that's concerning
so people ages 20-39
the numbers are bigger.
That is concerning.
>>Next question.
>>Next question
, please go ahead.
>>Hi, Jim.
How are you doing?
>>There's been
some concerns
raised by small
business owners
that they raised with me
about evictions
that came at the
end of August.
At the same time
at the end of the plan
what her plans
.
I wonder if there
is any plan
to extend the ban to
the end of the year
and are there any talks
about extending
. Kush?
>>Good question.
We did had a
conversation the other
day how we can extend
that and we can't do it
alone.
We need the federal
government support
and our goal is to get
everyone back on their
feet so they can
self sustain
their business and
themselves but we are in
discussions right
now regarding that.
We have to help these
people move forward term
but not just that also.
There is a banquet
halls and these poor
folks are hurting and
it is not their fault
that they are
over 50,000 ft..
so we are looking
at looking
!
Helping a lot of
the banquet halls.
>>Follow-up.
>>Also, depending on the
extension of the Go
train service I wonder
if there is a plan
and if everything
is on course
with a lot of other
things going on.
>>Before I pass it
over to Minister
I want to give
a shout out
to all the people
at Metrolink's
in the front line staff
who have been through
this pandemic
and they are as
solid as they come
and I want to thank all
the great frontline
people at Metrolink
and that is what makes
all these great places
run.
The people who show
up every single day
and when I went
to the train today
it was an incredible
experience.
It was clean, it was a.
I encourage people.
Hop on the train and
take a right and you
will feel a lot
more comfortable.
>>Thank you for
the question.
Although the pandemic
had a great impact
on all facets
of our lives
it hasn't stopped
us moving forward with
important projects
and Metrolink
has been working
closely with the Durham
region
on the details of
the Gibco extension
so we are still
proceeding as intended
for the pandemic,
and I would like to
thank the advocacy
of MPP Lord, Lindsay
and the president of
the treasury Board Peter
who have been etiquette
!
Who had been advocating
for the extension
and it is continuing
as planned
and will have more to
say about that in the
future.
>>The next question
is with Natasha
from Radio Canada.
>>
The back to school plan,
people are worried about
classes
.
what is your general
reaction?
>>The experience I had
when I went to school
yesterday and the
principal, Mr Fisher,
is incredible.
Speaking of principles.
I was on an interview
today
and when I got off-line
the person interviewed
me
said I went by the
school and it made me
feel so much more
comfortable
that it was Kate
telling me this
and I said who is a
principal and they said
principal Stephanie
Richards
in Brooklyn, Ontario
and she said after I left
I felt so much
more confident
and I am not saying 2
million peer soldiers
school, but I felt
the same way.
When I went to the
school and saw how the
principal was so
organized, because once
we give them the tools
the principles are the
commander and chief
and 99.9% are
just incredible
and they can make
the difference.
They can have a
can-do attitude
or the canned attitude
and everyone I have
talked to is a can-do
attitude and they are
excited,
so it is a shout out
to the great principle
over at Saint John
Paul II school
in Brooklyn.
You are doing
a great job.
Thank you, Stephanie.
You are making parents
feel so much more
comfortable
and they have every
protocol in place and we
ran through every issue
we can possibly think of
and we are putting
everything
but the kitchen sink
and there and we are
making sure we have
1300 more custodians.
We gave $170 million
to hire more teachers
and more stepparent
we have $25 billion
for PPE
and the cleaning
services on the buses
we are putting $50
million into that
so we are pouring
$1.6 billion
into just opening.
Those are staggering
figures
and we do have the
safest, most cautious
plan and the
entire country
and it has been vetted
by everyone we could
possibly think of,
we have a great plan.
I encourage everyone
to bring their kids to
school.
Very simple.
We had a good plan.
>>Follow-up.
>>For Minister.
>>(Speaks French)
>>(Speaks French)
>>(Speaks French)
>>(Speaks French)
(Speaks French)
>>(Speaks French)
>>(Speaks French)
>>Next question
with the 'Toronto Sun'.
Go-ahead.
>>Good afternoon Premier.
A lot of peers are
wondering what to think
when your government
says
schools are as
safe as possible
.
how are you going to
make sure their peers.?
>>We consult with parents
and also teachers and I
have said this about the
teachers union and
I differentiate
between the teachers
union and the teachers
and if you are asked
me who I will listen to
some of the best
doctors and scientists
or some had of a
teachers unit that was
to fight
with every single
government God created,
so they are playing
politics and where point
out all the stops.
Why don't we try
to help out?
Why don't they pigeon?
Why don't they
be positive?
Instead of painting a
picture of the apocalypse
and the world
isn't coming
!
The world is coming
to an end
and every time I see
a teacher so for the
teachers I have all the
confidence in the word.
You guys are champions
and I have confidence in
the principal and I will
listen to the docs and
help in science all day
long opposed to some
head of the teachers
union that has his
degree in English
literature.
As Harvey does.
I think the parents
would rather us listen
to the doctors opposed
to some guy
with a degree in
English literature
which thinks
he is a Doctor.
>>Follow-up.
>>Thank you.
A lot of families
especially those with
working
parents struggled
during the regular
school year and what
is your expectations
for workers
during the upcoming
school year?
>>I was an employee
before I got into
politics
and I always say be
flexible and work
without.
It is not the
ownership, presence or
mental impairment
is the frontline people
that make the company's
work
and move and if you are
flexible with them they
will be flexible with
you so work with the.
We are all in
this together
and are able to get
through this together
and we are leading to
North America in the
Lowe's cases of any
large jurisdiction and
it is all because of the
14 and happily people
who were following
protocols from the chief
medical officer to the
helper table and
everyone is doing a
great job and I am very,
very grateful banding
together and putting
political stripes
aside and not every
-- and everyone is
pointing in the same
direction so we are
very grateful.
>>Final question
is from CD
-- CTV News.
>>
You have highlighted
a number of children
19 and under who
catch the virus.
552 children
19 and under tested
positive.
I am wondering what
kind of impact
is this going to
have on schools?
>>It is concerning and
I said, from day one
I don't want to scare
peers because there's 2
million kids and
two days ago 19
ended up with
CLAUDE BRULÉ:
And the other day 20
and it is back up to 20
but to put it
into perspective
I want to make sure
we go back to school
we will have the nurses
in high-priority
neighborhoods and we
are going to be ready
because if I were to
say there are no cases
it is not reality.
The reality is
we have everyone
prepared,
we have public
health prepared.
Actually, is on camera
when I went there
yesterday
I did a quiz on camera
what happens and
what are procedures
when we have
one appraisal.
What are procedures
when we have to break
out sperm
and I went to the
doctors and the chair of
the TDS be and
the director
and they are well
organized term
really, really
well organized
so we will do
everything we can to
make sure we have the
safest environment for
kids possible but we do
have to be realistic as
well.
>>Follow-up.
>>Thank you Premier.
There is 20 today
but 19 yesterday
and I am wondering
if there is
an expectable
-- acceptable level
we are comfortable with
and
. question mark
>>I rely on the chief
medical officer and the
command table
and all the doctors who
come up with a consensus
and I take direction
from them but we are
zeroing in on this and
have our eyes on this
every single day
and when I get briefed
in the morning the first
numbers I want are how
many under 19 and how
many seniors, but the
numbers are jumping from
ages 20-39 and
it is amazing.
Seniors listen more
than young people
or seniors stay at home
and solve us late a
little more and
I understand
kids have to get out
there and be with your
friends but be careful
when you go back to
school.
No part in.
I feel like a dead city
preaching to the kids
and I don't want to
be that way but it is
critical.
No parties when you go
back to college and
university.
When I was talking to
the doctor yesterday he
said kids are resilient
but what happens when
they come home and bring
it to the parents, old
like me and their
grandparents.
We are ready.
We have this one.
We are ready.
Thank you.
