25.53°C Vancouver

May 7, 2020 7:30 PM -

Dr. Theresa Tam: Going to a cottage or a second home can be a bad idea

Share On
dr-theresa-tam-going-to-a-cottage-or-a-second-home-can-be-a-bad-idea
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, speaks during a press conference on Parliament Hill during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. Tam says a COVID-19 outbreak gripping the northern Saskatchewan community of La Loche is an area of concern.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Dr. Theresa Tam says it's a bad idea to go to a cottage or a second home if you risk straining local health resources.

Rules and advice on how to apply that will vary from province to province and situation to situation, though.

In Ontario, for instance, Premier Doug Ford has called on people who own cottages not to leave city homes for them over the upcoming Victoria Day weekend, after previously saying he thought it might be OK.

Tam says part of the concern is about spreading the virus that causes COVID-19, and part is about simply having too many people heading to places that don't have the local hospital capacity to treat them if they got sick.



(Millionth test for COVID-19 conducted)



Dr. Theresa Tam says Canada has conducted its millionth test for COVID-19, and about six per cent of the people tested have been confirmed as positive cases.

Nearly half of those who tested positive are considered recovered at this point, but more than 4,000 people have died of the illness.

The country's chief public health officer says mental health is a growing concern amid the pandemic, but one thing that helps many people is feeling as though they're helping and making a difference.

For children, she says being creative and cheering people up with art can achieve that.

Latest news

b-c-premier-calls-for-stronger-ai-chatbot-reporting-requirements-in-federal-online-harms-bill
BCJun 15, 2026

B.C. premier calls for stronger AI chatbot reporting requirements in federal online harms bill

British Columbia Premier David Eby says the federal government's proposed online harms legislation does not go far enough in addressing risks associated with artificial intelligence chatbots. Eby criticized the bill for not requiring technology companies to report dangerous or suspicious user activity to police. He said companies should be obligated to notify law enforcement if a user is believed to be using an AI chatbot to plan a violent crime. The premier pointed to the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting, stating that the suspect's chatbot account had been flagged before the attack. According to E
court-grants-bail-to-bikram-majithia-two-others-in-majitha-police-station-case
IndiaJun 15, 2026

Court Grants Bail to Bikram Majithia, Two Others in Majitha Police Station Case

A court has granted bail to Shiromani Akali Dal senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia and his associates, Jodh Singh Samra and Jatinder Pal Singh, in connection with a case arising from an alleged confrontation at the Majitha police station. According to police, Majithia and his supporters entered the police station and attempted to secure the release of a person identified as Jobanpreet. Police alleged that during the incident, Majithia snatched a mobile phone from a sub-inspector and tore government documents amid the commotion. Based on those allegations, police registered a case against Maji
mission-memorial-hospital-emergency-department-closed-for-third-consecutive-sunday
BCJun 15, 2026

Mission Memorial Hospital emergency department closed for third consecutive Sunday

Patients in Mission continue to face disruptions to emergency care after Mission Memorial Hospital's emergency department was temporarily closed for a third consecutive Sunday. According to Fraser Health, the closure was caused by an ongoing shortage of physicians available to staff the department. The health authority said it is continuing recruitment efforts aimed at stabilizing services and addressing staffing challenges at the hospital. The emergency department closed at 5 p.m. Sunday and reopened at 8 a.m. Monday, according to hospital service notices. During the closure, patients requiri
joly-to-meet-chinese-ev-manufacturers-in-shanghai-as-canada-seeks-auto-sector-investment
CanadaJun 15, 2026

Joly to meet Chinese EV manufacturers in Shanghai as Canada seeks auto-sector investment

Canada's Industry Minister Mélanie Joly is scheduled to meet senior executives from major Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers BYD, Geely and Chery during a visit to Shanghai this week. Joly is also expected to hold discussions with officials from automotive research firm Shanghai Launch. According to information released about the visit, the meetings are aimed at exploring opportunities to attract foreign investment into Canada's automotive sector and support job creation. The discussions will focus on potential areas of cooperation between Canadian and Chinese automotive companies. The fe
carney-says-canada-u-s-trade-talks-will-remain-with-negotiators-during-g7-summit
CanadaJun 15, 2026

Carney says Canada-U.S. trade talks will remain with negotiators during G7 summit

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he does not expect to discuss Canada-U.S. trade issues directly with U.S. President Donald Trump when the two leaders meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Speaking ahead of the leaders' meetings in Evian, Carney said ongoing trade discussions are being handled by Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Canada's chief trade negotiator, Janice Charette. According to the prime minister, continuing negotiations through the lead officials is the appropriate approach at this stage. Carney said G7 leaders are expected to focus primarily on internati

Related News