Hamilton will look at extending its physical distancing bylaw, which lapsed in July

Hamilton city councillors will vote Monday whether to renew a physical distancing bylaw that quietly lapsed in late July.

Council voted on April 8 to enact a bylaw that would see potential fines for those within two metres of someone not in their own household. That lapsed on July 24 with the province's state of emergency.

Ken Leendertse, the city's director of licensing and bylaw services, recommends city council revive the law for up to two years, depending on the province's lead. Council's general issues committee will cast a vote on Monday. 

"As there is still a need to practise physical distancing in Hamilton to protect residents from the ongoing risk of COVID-19, staff are recommending a new physical distancing bylaw," Leendertse said in the report. 

This "would complement the existing emergency orders that were continued under the Reopening Ontario Act and provide further municipal enforcement measures to be taken if necessary."

The province passed the Reopening Ontario Act on July 24 when its state of emergency lapsed. This new legislation empowers the province to extend its current emergency orders made under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act once a month for up to two years. The city bylaw mirrors that timeframe.

Local enforcement officers and police have charged 133 people so far under the old bylaw, although officials insist the goal is education and not fines.

This bylaw states that the city can fine an individual as much as $10,000 on first conviction, and $25,000 for subsequent convictions. Corporations can be fined as much as $50,000 on first conviction. 

Public health reports 22 active cases in Hamilton as of Friday, which is up two from Wednesday. Nine of them are probable.

The city has seen 908 cases in total since the start of the pandemic, and 841 people have recovered. Forty-five have died. 

Brant

A dozen people in Brant/Brantford are known to have COVID-19 right now. Eleven are at home and one is in hospital. 

Overall, the area has seen 148 confirmed cases, a number unchanged from Wednesday. Of those, 132 have recovered and four have died. 

Haldimand-Norfolk

The area has 28 people known to have COVID-19 right now, down from 30 on Wednesday.

The number of confirmed cases has increased by two since Wednesday, increasing from 463 to 465. Of those, 405 have recovered and 32 have died. 

Halton

Halton has three fewer active cases than it did Thursday. Right now, 15 people are known to have COVID-19. The region has seen 917 cases overall, of which 82 are probable. That's up one from Thursday. 

Twenty-five people have died and 877 have recovered. 

In Burlington, there are three active cases, down one from Thursday. The city has seen 190 cases, up one from Thursday. Three people have died and 180 have recovered. 

Niagara

There are 60 active cases in Niagara, up three from Wednesday. Sixty-four people have died and 762 have recovered, which is seven more recoveries than Wednesday. 

Overall, 886 people in Niagara are known to have had COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.