Peel Region mayors Crombie, Brown pushing for move to Red-Control Zone

One GTA city currently under lockdown says it’s ready to move into the province’s Red-Control zone and wants to see it happen by next week.

Mississauga mayor Bonnie Crombie has voiced her displeasure with Peel Region’s move to Grey-Lockdown arguing it didn’t go far enough for suffering businesses.

Retail can open under the Grey Zone but is far less restricted than Red-Control, which allows restaurants to host patrons for in-person dining, among other differences.

One example is small businesses in the Grey-Lockdown Zone can re-open with 25 percent capacity.

Speaking on Wednesday, Crombie took it a step further.

“I believe this is the right time for Mississauga to move into the Red Zone; with or without the rest of the region,” said Mississauga’s mayor.

“… Our small business owners are seeing Mississauga residents, their customers, go into neighbouring cities like Oakville to shop and dine out when our numbers here warrant us being in the Red Zone, too.”

Crombie says Mississauga can no longer be held back by Brampton which isn’t “quite there yet.”

Crombie affirms that Mississauga stands as its own city – just like Vaughan, Oakville, Milton, and Markham who are all part of York and Halton Regions now in the Red Zone and border Brampton closely.

This week, Peel Region reported 88 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents – an increase over last week.

As of epidemiological data through March 5, Mississauga’s positivity rate is 7 percent compared to 11 percent in Brampton.

On Thursday, Brampton mayor Patrick Brown also said Peel should be placed into the “Red Zone” confirming councillors in his city voted to ask the province to make that move as soon as possible.

Caledon Mayor Allan Thomspon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

Peel Region Public Health Data (As of March 10): 

“Last night I did ask Dr. [Lawrence] Loh and the Premier to allow Mississauga to move into the Red Zone on its own,” Crombie added.

“…Yes, we’re one public health unit but Mississauga is its own city and its own city government with its own residents and its own businesses. We need a targeted approach.”

Loh, Peel Region’s medical officer of health, said he took Crombie’s recommendation to the province’s top doctor, David Williams.

“This is the position of local leadership in one of the municipalities,” said Loh regarding Crombie’s proposal.

“My hope is that trends continue to remain favourable for all of our municipalities and perhaps this decision will be made for us if the numbers do continue in the correct trend. Of course, recognizing that first and foremost we must continue to reopen gradually less than we lose all of the gains made today.”

 

Brampton and Mississauga comparison:

 

Brown has argued the cases in his city have been less severe compared to Mississauga, pointing to a lower death toll, and that a divided approach is a non-starter.

“The provincial government and public health have already told Mississauga that they don’t break up health units, and they’ve told them that, I think, probably eight or nine times over the last six months.”

Brown says Crombie’s request has little chance of success — the province has already denied it several times.

“So rather than Mississauga and Brampton, I’m suggesting we both reopen and we be part of the GTA. The vast majority of the GTA is reopen, it doesn’t make sense for us to be divided.”

Brampton City council again voting Wednesday to ask the province for a red zone move.

On Wednesday it was announced that Brampton and Mississauga will be part of the Primary Care Vaccination Pilot Program which will see Peel Region work with 8 partners to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine to those between the age of 60-64.

“What this means is that more Mississauga residents will have access to the vaccine sooner,” said Crombie.

Brown also acknowledged the pilot program, saying “more details coming shortly. Thanks to the Government of Ontario for this support.”

Ontario is reporting 1,316 new COVID-19 cases and 16 deaths on Wednesday.

Locally, there are 428 new cases in Toronto, 244 in Peel and 149 in York Region.