As the COVID-19 crisis ravages its finances, the City of Toronto is cancelling spring recreations, arts and museum programs — a blow to families and 5,400 part-time city staff who won’t be hired. Physical distancing recommendations from the city’s public health officials and the city’s weakened finances made proceeding with the programs impossible, the mayor said. Tory said he hopes all summer programs proceed, but it will depend on advice from public health. Asked if that means potential layoffs, Tory said the city is focusing on redeploying people to areas that now need extra staff, including public health child care. As of Friday police and city staff had issued 21 tickets for breach of social-distancing rules including use of closed park amenities.

Source: thestar April 03, 2020 19:18 UTC