Schools across Ontario remain closed for the foreseeable future — though the school year is not yet called off — as the provincial lockdown extends four more weeks.

MPPs voted unanimously on Tuesday to stretch the province’s state of emergency — first declared March 17 — until May 12, keeping non-essential business closed for at least 28 more days. Schools also won’t open on May 4, as was the plan, but Premier Doug Ford said the school year is not cancelled and more information would be available later this week.

He also announced long-term care workers can only work in one home starting Tuesday night. It’s a measure advocates for seniors and health-care workers have been calling for.

“When the history books are written, it will be said that the people of this great, great province never surrendered to the virus,” Ford told the 28 MPPs in the legislature, the numbers pared down to allow for physical distancing. “They didn’t quit when the going got tough, they didn’t leave anyone behind.”

Meanwhile, Hamilton was reporting just five new cases Tuesday, all listed as “probable” as public health awaits lab confirmation. The city’s new total is 261, including confirmed and probable cases.

Of the city’s seven institutions with COVID-19 outbreaks, all but one saw case numbers hold steady Tuesday.

Cardinal Retirement Residence saw four new cases in residents and two new cases in staff, bringing totals to 26 confirmed resident cases and 15 confirmed staff cases.

But there was more grim news out of Hagersville on Tuesday.

A total of 19 residents of Anson Place Care Centre have died — four more since Monday — and 73 have tested positive for the virus. At least 31 staff are self-isolating.

Hamilton reported no new COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday. Nine Hamiltonians have died from the virus in the last month, including four at Cardinal Retirement Residence and three at Heritage Green Nursing Home. All deaths involved people between ages 70 and 100.

The City of Hamilton released updated numbers of tickets handed out for pandemic-related violations over the Easter weekend. Since Thursday, six people received tickets after they let their dogs off their leash at Chedoke Golf course, which is closed, and six people received tickets for entering other areas they shouldn’t, such as Albion Falls.

A total of 15 people were fined under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act for such offences as using benches, picnic tables, the escarpment stairs or golf courses. Fines start at $500 and can reach up to $25,000 for repeat offenders.

Hamilton police say they’ve handed out 33 tickets to people breaking COVID-related laws.

Also Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced stricter rules for Canadians returning home from abroad. Those who don’t have an adequate self-isolation plan — one that shows they have a place to stay and that they won’t put vulnerable people at risk — will be required to isolate in a facility such as a hotel for two weeks.

Trudeau said the country received four plane loads’ worth of much-needed personal protective equipment over the weekend. A total of 1.1 million N95 masks will be distributed to provinces and territories in the coming days.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Trudeau was asked numerous times when he might relax economic restrictions.

“The reality is it is going to be weeks still,” he said, adding Canadians must be “vigilant” until a vaccine is developed. “We must remain in this phase for some time to come”