As the state of emergency continues in Timmins, Mayor George Pirie says he’s not happy about it, but satisfied that this is what the city needs right now.
He concedes that political leaders along the Highway 11 corridor must be frustrated that their communities can’t open, when the bulk of new COVID-19 cases are in Timmins and up on the coast.
“I expect that they would want some segregation in how this happens,” he observes, “although I believe the Porcupine Health Unit is aligned with all the hospitals. The hospitals want to see this regional approach.”
He also knows that starting tomorrow, a lot of people will be headed to Sudbury, New Liskeard and North Bay to go shopping.
“Well, I expect that everybody in Timmins will be flocking to Costco. That’s the draw with Sudbury, that’s for sure,” he notes. “I think it’ll be relatively soon that we’re open. Again, that’s my wish or my thinking.”