Ottawa lockdown ‘blindsides’ mayor, frustrates businesses

But Ottawa physician and senior scientist Dr. Doug Manuel said Ottawa residents should take the lockdown seriously and try to reduce case counts further in the city, even to zero. That is especially important because of a new variant of COVID-19 identified in the U.K. that spreads more easily and could make efforts to reduce transmission much more difficult.

“We are maybe not as high as other people, but we are not low,” he said of Ottawa. “This is the card that we have been dealt. You may agree or disagree with it, but let’s make the most of it.”

Monday’s decision, meanwhile, represents a rare public airing of friction between Watson and Ford during the pandemic.

Watson and Ford have maintained a solid working relationship since Ford took power, and although their rapport likely won’t come to an abrupt end over Ottawa’s inclusion in the lockdown, Watson on Monday described a “fundamental disagreement” with the premier.

Ottawa councillors also questioned the local lockdown on social media, with Glen Gower calling for a “more balanced approach” from Ford and Riley Brockington asking the premier for evidence to support a lockdown.

Another councillor who has been working closely with small businesses to help them pull through the pandemic was amazed to hear the city included in the provincial lockdown.

“I’m still trying to digest the logic of it,” Coun. Eli El-Chantiry said in an interview.

El-Chantiry has questioned past decisions by the provincial government to place restrictions on Ottawa, and on Monday he wondered what the point was of developing a regional colour-coded system based on the prevalence of COVID-19 if Ottawa’s numbers are stable.

On the other hand, El-Chantiry said he’s happy to see the premier announce a grant program for small businesses impacted by the upcoming lockdown.

Ford announced “free money” for Ontario small businesses — grants of up to $20,000 to help through the 28-day lockdown.

The provincially ordered closure will be enforced by Ottawa bylaw officers.

Anthony Di Monte, the city’s general manager of emergency and protective services, said officers won’t be knocking on doors checking if people are complying with the orders, “but we will respond to complaints and then enforce the regulations.”