Type of Intervention: Guidance
Sectors Involved: Health
Intervention Categories: Legal and policy; Regulatory change
Level of Jurisdiction: Ontario
Lead People/Agency: Christine Elliot (Deputy Premier and Minister of Health) announced this, in leadership of Ontario’s Ministry of Health. In this announcement, it is mentioned that the ministry is working in collaboration with Public Health Ontario.
Overview: This announcement by the Ontario government discusses adding the novel coronavirus as a designated disease reportable under Ontario’s public health legislation. This indicates that physicians, hospitals, and other care facilities are now required to report suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 to their respective local medical officer of health. These requirements now align with the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta.
Full details here: https://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2020/01/statement-by-deputy-premier-and-minister-of-health-christine-elliott.html
Type of Justification: Learning from other jurisdictions, No justification given
Source of Evidence or Justification: Sub-national, other provinces
Evidence/Justification: No true justification is given for these actions, other than the mention of their alignment with reporting requirements for COVID-19 in Alberta and British Columbia.