2 more local COVID cases
Churches allowed to have drive-in services
Two more COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Peterborough city and county and Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations, Peterborough Public Health reported Tuesday afternoon.
There are now 76 cases, with 69 of them resolved, the health unit reported. The health unit has now tested about 6,850 people during the pandemic.
The only remaining institutional outbreak is at Kawartha Heights Retirement Living where a staff member tested positive last week.
Ontario had 427 new cases Tuesday, bringing the total to date to 23,384 across the province, with 1,919 deaths, up 15 on Tuesday. Health units in the Greater Toronto Area account for 63.1 per cent of the cases.
In other COVID-related news:
Hunter Street Books store not reopening
Hunter Street Books, the downtown bookstore that closed March 12 and went to online shopping and free delivery in the COVID-19 pandemic, will keep its webstore — but the physical store will not reopen.
Store owner Michelle Berry said she’s closing the physical store for several reasons; a high rent, a trend toward people shopping online or special-ordering books (even prior to the pandemic), and Berry’s auto immune disease all factored into the decision.
But Berry will continue to order new books for sale through the webstore, and she continues to offer free delivery to open mailboxes or on porches in Peterborough.
Berry will also be keeping two shelves of books for sale at META4
Contemporary Craft Gallery two doors east on Hunter Street, starting June 1, for browsing.
Churches allowed drive-in gatherings
The Ontario government is now allowing drive-in religious gatherings under certain conditions to restrict the spread of coronavirus.
As of Tuesday, drive-in service can be held as long as cars remain two metres or more apart, only members of the same household are in the same vehicle and no more than five people are conducting the service from outside a vehicle, according to the province.
Victory Baptist Church on
Lansdowne Street West, has been offering drive-in services for several weeks.
Last week, Victory Baptist and four other area churches were among more than 245 churches to ask Premier Doug Ford to allow churches to reopen — with no more than 40 per cent of the pews filled — by June 1. The other four local churches are Braidwood Bible Chapel, Hill City Baptist Church, Westmount Bible Chapel and Gilmour Memorial Baptist.
Canada Child Benefit top-up
On Wednesday, families will receive up to $300 per child as a top-up of their regular Canada Child Benefit monthly payment.
The federal government has also announced that the taxfree top-up will be offered again in July.
The idea is to help families deal with additional costs in the COVID-19 pandemic.
New portal to help businesses with recovery
Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development has launched a new digital portal for local businesses as they work toward COVID-19 economic recovery.
“This portal will serve as the region’s go-to hub for resources and information to help local business mitigate the impacts of COVID-19,” agency president and CEO Rhonda Keenan stated in a press release.
To view the Peterborough and the Kawarthas COVID-19 Business Recovery Centre Portal visit peterboroughed.ca/recovery.