After the unconventional Wednesday Canada Day where celebration was canceled and fireworks are viewed online, we are back to our normal Thursday. To date, Canada has 104,643 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases and 68,217 of the cases has recovered. Number of deaths stood at 8,681.

B.C reopening in phase 3 where residents can travel within B.C and other provinces more rather than being encouraged to stay home. We are moving closer to a new normal and more businesses reopen as preventive measures are in place. Ontario is moving to their stage 3 reopening very soon as cases remains contained. A larger capacity gathering is likely to be permitted as movie theatre are re-opening with limited capacity to ensure social distancing between their audience.

B.C Housing has continued to provide rental assistance for two additional months up to August 31, 2020. Employment in Canada has decreased by two percent points. We are 2/3 back to our employment level prior to March lock down.

Our neighbours in the South is not doing so well and the border closure between Canada and the United States has extended to the end of July. The daily cases of COVID-19 surpass 50,000 in the United States. Some restaurant went back to closure as the risk of contamination increased. The U.S has the highest number of cases around the world clocking at 2.7 million and a second lockdown might happen.

• India’s cases of coronavirus are exploding with a total 600,000 confirmed cases.
• China is reporting new cases and spreading wildly in Beijing.
• South Korea has 54 new confirmed cases and continuing to spread.
• United Kingdom is lifting quarantine rules for 75 countries.