Coronavirus Update: Liberals reach deal with NDP on sick leave, as country surpasses 150,000 cases

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Top headlines:

1. Liberals reach a deal with NDP on Throne Speech
2. Ontario will add a curfew to alcohol sales and close all strip clubs
3. Quebec asks people to avoid gatherings for the next 28 days

In Canada, there have been at least 150,358 cases reported. In the last week 8,447 new cases were announced, 35 per cent more than the previous week. There have also been at least 129,454 recoveries and 9,254 deaths. Health officials have administered more than 7,528,381 tests.

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Worldwide, there have been at least 32,141,225 cases confirmed and 981,808 deaths reported.

Sources: Canada data are compiled from government websites, Johns Hopkins University and COVID-19 Canada Open Data Working Group; international data are from Johns Hopkins.

Coronavirus explainers: Coronavirus in maps and charts • Lockdown rules and reopening • Mask-wearing rules • Back to school guide • Essential resources

Photo of the day

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Number of the day

150,358

The total number of coronavirus cases in Canada surpassed 150,000 today. The first presumptive case in the country was reported in January.

Coronavirus in Canada

• Starting Sunday, Ontario will require bars and restaurants to end alcohol sales at 11:00 p.m., and force all strip clubs to close. Toronto Mayor John Tory said he asked the province as early as July to implement a curfew, which Premier Doug Ford said the government declined to enforce earlier closing times in the summer because case counts were lower then.
• Quebec asked all residents to avoid all non-essential gatherings with friends and family for 28 days as cases spike to levels not seen since May. Also today, 180 COVID-19 cases are being reported across 39 private residences for seniors in the province. Four residences have been deemed “critical” because more than one in four residents have become infected.
• Manitoba is making masks mandatory in indoor public spaces in Winnipeg as 44 of the province’s 54 new cases announced today are in the city. The province is also limiting gatherings to 10 people.
• A person in Saskatchewan was fined $2,000 for not self-isolating while symptomatic.

In Ottawa, the Liberal government announced it reached a deal with the NDP, securing their support in an upcoming confidence vote on the Throne Speech.

• The agreement widen workers' access to sick-leave benefits during the pandemic and, as announced yesterday, raises income support benefits to $500 per week from the Liberal’s proposal of $400.

Still in Ottawa, the government announced Canada will contribute $440-million to COVAX, the international alliance that aims to ensure equitable access to a coronavirus vaccine.

• The government will spend $220-million on doses for Canadians, and another $220-million for doses for low- and middle-income countries. China and the United States are not participating in the global, WHO-led initiative.
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also announced Canada signed a new vaccine agreement with AstraZeneca for up to 20-million doses – adding to deals with Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, Pfizer and Moderna.

Also today: The federal government ran a deficit of $148.6-billion during the first four months of its 2020-2021 fiscal year, the result of unprecedented spending in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the same period last year, that figure was $1.6-billion.

And: The added cost of pandemic-related expenditures for childcare facilities, along with reduced capacity, mean some businesses are in dire financial straits. Advocates say the “already fragile sector” is at a crisis point.

Coronavirus around the world

• Africa, home to 1.2 billion people, has reported just 1.4 million cases and fewer than 35,000 deaths, proportionally lower than other regions of the world. A youthful and low-density, rural population, along with strict and early lockdowns helped keep the continent’s death rate low, the WHO said.
• The WHO said that it is “not only imaginable, but sadly very likely” that the worldwide death toll from COVID-19 could top 20-million before a vaccine is widely available. A WHO official said young people should not be singled out, instead saying indoor gathering of all ages are driving the crisis.

Coronavirus and business

Something unexpected is happening in Toronto’s rental market: landlords are offering incentives – such as a month of free rent or a VISA gift card – in an attempt to lure new tenants.

• Prepandemic, demand overwhelmed supply, with landlords benefiting from bidding wars and rapidly surging rent. With restrictions on international students, job losses, and new rules limiting short-term rentals like Airbnb, supply is on the rise.
• “I’d say it’s been more than 10 years since we’ve seen incentives to any meaningful level in Toronto,” said Shaun Hildebrand, president at real estate consulting firm Urbanation.
• For tenants, it’s a temporary reprieve. In the future, it is likely tight markets (such as Toronto) will grapple with insufficient supply, and an uptick in demand will negate the need for incentives. [For subscribers]

Also today: Small businesses have received just 28 per cent of the $2.3-billion in wage subsidies given out under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program. Medium- and large-sized businesses received 71 per of the subsidies given for the period of Aug. 2 to Aug. 29, new data from the CRA shows.

And: As restaurants brace for cold weather and a second wave, the industry asks for a meal subsidy program.

Globe opinion

• Nathan Englander: I moved to Canada right before the pandemic began. When COVID-19 struck, I found a community
• The Globe editorial board: Overdoses are killing more people in Western Canada than COVID-19. B.C. has a bold new plan

More reporting

• The federal government unveiled a $50-million compensation fund for film and TV productions placed at risk due to COVID-19
• A Conservative bid to have the House of Commons sit on Sundays failed to get the unanimous consent needed to hold the sitting.
• Pitching In: Student guides GTA animal sanctuary through COVID-19
• Amplify: This is not your average pandemic love story
• First Person: I don’t know when I’ll be able to see my mother again
• How the pandemic is affecting advisors' client appreciation efforts
• Alone during the pandemic, I swing from misery to contentment

Distractions

🍿 For the TV fan: 12 dramas to savour this slimmer, stronger season

• Or try Netflix’s The Boys in the Band, which revisits history, but doesn’t quite revive it
• The recent shows you need to catch up on, all available to stream

Information centre

• Rob Carrick’s 10-point checklist of things you should have done by now to protect or improve your money situation. Tips for minimizing damage to your credit score; how to manage retirement anxiety during difficult times; and things to think about if you’re considering home delivery.
• Here are the expectations for self-isolation; tips for managing anxiety and protecting your mental health; and what to do if you think you have the virus. Wash your hands. How to break a bad habit (like touching your face). Is flying safe?
• The best foods to eat to maintain an immune system-friendly diet; and how to keep a healthy diet while working from home; four eating tips when working from home; and five mistakes that might cause you to gain unwanted weight. Here are the essentials to stock up on and how to shop safely for groceries; the best pantry staples and how to stop stress-eating. What to cook with rhubarb (aside from pie).
• Here’s what you should do if you are newly laid off; how to apply for CERB, EI, and other financial benefits; how the CRA might identify CERB fraud; and other coronavirus and employment questions answered. What to do if your employees don’t return to work because they want to collect CERB.

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