From cities struggling to keep enough emergency responders on duty to staffing shortages hampering the Canadian food supply chain, the rapid spread of the Omicron variant is hampering the ability of public services to operate at full capacity across Canada.
The sudden surge of infections has spurred some government officials to begin developing contingency plans.
"We are planning for worst-case scenarios, up to and including illness rates of 50 to 60 per cent, so that we have made plans for that possible scenario," Toronto Mayor John Tory told reporters on Tuesday.
But other regions are already facing staffing problems.
Ontario’s Peel Regional Paramedic Services, for example, has been dealing with staff shortages as an increasing number of paramedics test positive for the virus or self-isolate due to exposure.
"There have been times when a Code Black has been declared, which means there is one or fewer ambulances available," Paramedic Chief Peter Dundas wrote in a statement to CP24 on Wednesday.
Ottawa, Ont., has also been experiencing more frequent critical shortages of available paramedic units lately, citing record cases of COVID-19, offload delays at hospitals and call volumes returning to pre-pandemic levels.
On Jan. 5, Ontario hit the pause button on non-urgent surgeries as part of sweeping measures to reduce the impact of an anticipated rise in cases. An urgent care centre in Fort Erie, Ont., was temporarily closed Thursday after 354 staff members entered self-isolation, and 146 have tested positive for the virus since Dec. 21.
"This wave of the pandemic is beyond anything we have experienced," Lynn Guerriero, president and CEO of Niagara Health, which runs the site, told The Canadian Press in a statement. "We have exhausted all options."
Two-thirds of a team of firefighters in British Columbia was also sidelined this week. Thirteen of Prince Rupert’s 20 firefighters were either infected or in self-isolation. Several were able to come back to work the next day.
Police in Victoria and Winnipeg effectively declared states of emergency this week to re-deploy officers to help deal with staffing shortages due to COVID-19.
Turning to agriculture, absenteeism related to Omicron is already affecting parts of the food supply chain.
Poultry supplier Exceldor says staffing shortages forced the company to give thousands of chickens to other processors and it will have to euthanize thousands more. Mushroom farms are also struggling to survive, according to The Canadian Mushroom Growers' Association.
Certain provinces, such as Ontario and Quebec, have reduced self-isolation periods for fully vaccinated individuals who tested positive for COVID-19, which may help bolster staff for businesses and other services.
With files from CTV News’s Josh Pringle, Colton Praill, Sean Davidson, Kendra Mangione, Alyse Kotyk, Scott Cunningham, Charles Lefebvre, Genevieve Beauchemin and Brooklyn Neustaeter, as well as CP24’s Kerrisa Wilson and The Canadian Press
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
The trial of a Newfoundland lawyer accused of sexual assault ended Tuesday with his defence team alleging the complainant lied under oath, while the prosecution said her memory lapses were understandable.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar have appeared by video in a British Columbia court, with scores of Sikh community members inside and outside the hearing.
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
A former Canadian navy sailor was handed a $3,000 fine and a suspended jail sentence Tuesday after pleading guilty to stealing thousands of dollars from his shipmates aboard a Pacific fleet frigate.
It's been one week since investigators began their search at the Saskatoon landfill, looking for answers in the MacKenzie Trottier case.
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.
The federal judge in Florida presiding over the classified documents prosecution of former U.S. president Donald Trump has cancelled the May 20 trial date, postponing it indefinitely.
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Belarus launched drills involving missiles and warplanes capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, which close ally Russia has deployed there amid tensions with the West over Ukraine.
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Liberal ministers expressed disappointment and dismay Tuesday in response to Israel's invasion of the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip — the last refuge for displaced Palestinians in the territory.
At least 192 people died in B.C. from toxic drugs in March, the latest data from the provincial coroner shows.
The American Cancer Society said Tuesday that it is seeking participants for a study that aims to solve the mystery of why Black women have the lowest survival rate in the U.S. for most cancers.
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
Apple is hoping its latest iPad lineup will breathe new life into its sluggish tablet market. In a pre-recorded live streamed event from its Cupertino, California headquarters, the company introduced the latest versions of its iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets, and an all-new Apple Pencil Pro.
Scientists studying the sperm whales that live around the Caribbean island of Dominica have described for the first time the basic elements of how they might be talking to each other, in an effort that could one day help better protect them.
TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance said on Tuesday they filed suit in U.S. federal court seeking to block a law signed by President Joe Biden that would force the divestiture of the short video app used by 170 million Americans or ban its use.
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
Saturday's Eurovision final will be watched by more than 150 million people around the world on TV and around 15,000 fans gathered inside the Malmo Arena.
Katy Perry did not attend the Met Gala on Monday, but some of the singer’s fans – and even her mom – thought she did.
As the higher cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets, many Canadians find they have even less left over at the end of every month to squirrel away for the future.
The CRTC has denied a request by Bell Canada and some independent internet providers for an expedited decision that would prevent large carriers from using rivals' fibre networks to offer their services to customers.
Japanese video-game maker Nintendo said Tuesday that it will make an announcement about a successor to its Switch home console sometime before March 2025.
For the past 12 years, Krista Richard has been delivering bikes to people in the Greater Moncton area free of charge.
Panera Bread is eliminating Charged Lemonade from its menu, the caffeinated beverage that has sparked multiple lawsuits and caused a public relations nightmare for the company.
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Travis Green, 53, is the new head coach of the Ottawa Senators.
Spurs' star Victor Wembanyama has been announced as the unanimous winner of the NBA's Rookie of the Year award.
The federal Liberals are trying to crack down on a scourge of auto thefts across the country, even as the government is struggling to keep its own vehicles away from thieves, new data show.
Ford is set to recall some pickup trucks in Canada due to potential tail light failure.
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Whether passionate about Poirot or hungry for Holmes, Winnipeg mystery obsessives have had a local haunt for over 30 years in which to search out their latest page-turners.
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
A mother goose and her goslings caused a bit of a traffic jam on a busy stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway near Vancouver Saturday.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Drivers travelling between Vancouver and the North Shore are being warned to expect significant delays as a downed tree led to the closure of the Lions Gate Bridge Tuesday.
The federal government approved B.C.'s request Tuesday to recriminalize the use of drugs in public spaces such as hospitals and parks.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar have appeared by video in a British Columbia court, with scores of Sikh community members inside and outside the hearing.
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
One person has died after they were found trapped under a steamroller Tuesday morning in Whitby.
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Cochrane's iconic The Men of Vision statue has been fenced off after vandals seemingly sawed into it.
An intense low pressure system of just 986 mb situated south of Saskatchewan will be the main weather maker in central and southern Alberta Tuesday.
Ontario Provincial Police say a police response that prompted shelter-in-place orders is over a barricaded individual in distress. The incident has now been resolved.
Travis Green, 53, is the new head coach of the Ottawa Senators.
Ottawa police warn drivers pulled over for a traffic stop may be asked to provide a breath sample, as the service continues to see a rise in impaired drivers on the roads.
CTV News Montreal's ray of sunshine — Lori Graham — is leaving the station after more than 25 years. The longtime weather specialist announced on Tuesday that she is saying goodbye to her CTV family to spend more time giving back to the community, specifically, her faith community on the South Shore.
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
Exasperated by comments made by two witnesses campaigning for the protection of French in Quebec, Franco-Ontarian Liberal MP Francis Drouin made it clear what he thought of them, saying they're "full of s---."
Alberta's provincial ombudsman says a government body has unfairly denied a young man with autism the supports he needs.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar have appeared by video in a British Columbia court, with scores of Sikh community members inside and outside the hearing.
Like many Oilers fans, Shane Osepchuk has fond memories of the 1980s and 1990s teams that won the Stanley Cup. Unlike most fans, he was a part of those Stanley Cup celebrations.
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Nova Scotia's police watchdog says a Halifax Regional Police officer has been charged with assault.
The New Brunswick government hit the ground running at the legislature with several act amendments on Tuesday.
A Canadian virologist says an avian flu outbreak decimating wildlife in the United States should give us pause on this side of the border.
Students at the University of Manitoba have started a protest encampment on a grassy open area on the campus in south Winnipeg.
New signage has been installed on a Winnipeg roadway that city council unanimously voted to rename because of its ties to residential schools.
On the same day the City of Regina activated its new flood warning system for the Albert Street underpass – drivers were faced with confusion when the system activated despite no flooding.
Saskatchewan's Ministry of Health is touting a record number of surgeries performed in the last fiscal year, despite ranking last in the country for knee and hip replacement wait times.
Regina police say the officer who was accidentally shot by a fellow officer's gun last month suffered 'serious and life changing injuries,' adding he has a 'very' long road to recovery.
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.
Two Kitchener residents are facing charges in what police are calling one of the largest drug seizures in the Waterloo Regional Police Services’ (WRPS) history.
A social media post made by the Waterloo Regional District School Board (WRDSB) is causing some backlash because of its use of artificial intelligence to help write it.
Aaron Fosseneuve says the official name of the road into his home community of Cumberland House is Highway 123, but locals joke it’s not as easy as 1-2-3 — “it’s more like a 4-5-6.”
A Saskatchewan care home where an elderly man was allegedly attacked is suspended from taking on hospital patients following a recent inspection of the facility.
It's been one week since investigators began their search at the Saskatoon landfill, looking for answers in the MacKenzie Trottier case.
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
People in Timmins are waking up to a heavy police presence and road closures in the area of Sixth Avenue and Pine Street on Tuesday morning.
A 28-year-old suspended driver was arrested in Chelmsford last week after a failed attempt at fleeing Sudbury police.
The City of Sarnia will not clear out a homeless encampment in a city park anytime soon. The decision comes after a heated debate and multiple legal opinions — it also came just an hour before a serious stabbing occurred.
A social service agency that offers support primarily geared to sex workers has written a pointed letter to London City Council, but appears to be focused on one council member in particular.
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Bracebridge OPP Const. Scott Anthony has hired Toronto defence lawyer Peter Brauti to defend him ahead of his assault case heading to trial.
Police are investigating a suspicious death that took place in the Town of Midland.
Casino Rama Resort is amping up its 2024 entertainment lineup with three new rock performances, promising fans a nostalgic journey.
A Windsor man on Canada’s list of most wanted fugitives has been arrested in Edmonton, according to Windsor police.
Windsor police say there is an active investigation near the Tecumseh Mall in east Windsor.
The Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement (ROPE) Squad has apprehended a wanted offender who went unlawfully at large nine years ago.
The federal government approved B.C.'s request Tuesday to recriminalize the use of drugs in public spaces such as hospitals and parks.
A reported sighting of an orca pod off Vancouver Island near where an orphan killer whale is spending her time after escaping from a lagoon has an expert expressing caution and downplaying a possible family reunion.
The family of a teenage girl who died in Victoria says it’s traumatized by an episode of a TV show about the paranormal – and its complaints have now led to it being removed from APTN and APTNlumi.ca.
Models in uniquely designed red dresses are taking to the runway in British Columbia this weekend to make a powerful fashion statement about missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
An emaciated dachshund is now recovering thanks to a Good Samaritan who found the pup near a biking trail in Kelowna, according to the BC SPCA.
A woman is being sought by Lethbridge police in connection with a robbery at a gas station that turned into an assault.
Lethbridge police are looking for two people they believe were involved in the 'street robbery' of a senior last week.
Animal shelters across the province are finding themselves frequently at capacity -- or more.
A 77-year-old suspect has been charged with impaired driving in Elliot Lake following an incident early Monday evening.
Facing imminent closure, a last-minute agreement has been reached to keep the YMCA in Sault Ste. Marie open.
In an effort to increase awareness across the region, the Ontario Provincial Police North East is publicizing intimate partner violence statistics across its 12 detachments from April.
The trial of a Newfoundland lawyer accused of sexual assault ended Tuesday with his defence team alleging the complainant lied under oath, while the prosecution said her memory lapses were understandable.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says an officer convicted in 2021 of raping a woman while on duty is no longer with the force.
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