Coronavirus: Ontario Premier Ford announces Hydro relief rates, expanded education support | FULL

Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Tuesday announced new Hydro relief rates as well as an expanded support for a learners program to help parents after he announced on Monday a provincewide shutdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic that begins on Dec. 26 at 12:01 a.m.

The provincewide shutdown will last for four weeks in southern areas of the province and two weeks in northern areas.

Ford made the Tuesday announcement alongside Health Minister Christine Elliott, Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Bill Walker, Associate Minister of Energy.

“Unfortunately, despite the restrictions, we’ve seen growing numbers of people travelling between regions within Ontario,” Ford said during Monday's press conference.

Ford was asked Tuesday for his response to Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson's comments regarding the shutdown. "I have to remind everyone in Ottawa, you're in the orange-restrict level, you're aren't in yellow, you aren't in green. And just imagine if I said 'Okay, let's open up Ottawa, and forget everyone else,' two-fold, people are going to flock to Ottawa."

Ontario reported 2,202 new cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the provincial total to 160,255. Tuesday’s case count is an increase from Monday’s, which saw 2,123 new infections. It is the eighth day in a row new cases have been above 2,000.

According to Tuesday’s provincial report, 636 cases were recorded in Toronto, 504 were in Peel Region, 218 in York Region, 172 in Windsor-Essex County and 101 in Waterloo.

For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/7535230/ontario-new-coronavirus-shutdown-boxing-day/

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